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Quiz: Open and shut!

Open source, shared source, or shareware? Public domain or proprietary? Each of them means something a little different. It's pretty confusing, so in this quiz, we supplied you with the answers -- the catch being that they aren't in the same order as the questions.

Here they are, in alphabetical order:
free software , freeware , liteware , open , open source , open system , proprietary , public domain software , shared source , shareware . Can you sort them out?

1. This type of software is distributed freely. However, its source code may or may not be available and it may have other restrictions of use or distribution. What is it?

2. This term describes a technology or product that is owned exclusively by a single company that carefully guards knowledge about the technology or the product's inner workings. What is it?

3. Which term is also used in the physical sciences to describe a system, such as the human body, that accepts input and produces output?

4. This type of software has only one restriction: any redistributed version must be distributed with the original terms of free use, modification, and distribution. What is it?

5. Which type of software is a freely available, but not full-featured, version of a commercial product?

6. This term describes a product or system whose workings are made public without constraints against reproduction, reuse, or modification. However, it may not be free of charge. What is it?

7. Which type of software is distributed freely on a trial basis, with the understanding that the user may need or want to pay for it later?

8. This type of software is freely available with absolutely no restriction. What is it?

9. This term refers to any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit. What is it?

10. Which licensing model allows authorized parties to access code, but usually doesn't let them use it for any commercial purpose?

How many could you guess without looking? Let us know!

Looking for another challenge? See the rest of our quizzes.

This was last updated in July 2008

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