Ethics & Ownership in Computer Science Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing core definitions and concepts related to ethics, professional codes, software licenses, copyright, and artificial intelligence.

Ethics

A system of moral principles based on philosophical or religious views that guides behavior and decision making.

Plagiarism

The act of taking another person's idea, software, or work from the Internet and claiming it as your own.

British Computer Society (BCS)

A professional organization with a code of conduct providing ethical guidance under four headings: Public Interest, Professional Competence and Integrity, Duty to Relevant Authority, and Duty to the Profession.

ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics

A code defined by the IEEE-CS/ACM Joint Task Force outlining eight principles: Public, Client and Employer, Product, Judgement, Management, Profession, Colleagues, and Self.

Professional Code of Conduct

A company document that identifies permitted and prohibited employee activities, company responsibilities, values, and how to comply with legislation.

Copyright

The formal and legal rights to ownership of intellectual property that protect against unauthorized reproduction of work and provide legal right of redress.

Commercial Software

Software purchased for a fee with a license defining usage terms, distributed without source code, and requiring payment before use.

Free Software

Software distributed with its original source code, allowing users to edit, modify, and redistribute it under the same conditions as the original software.

Open Source Software

Software provided with original source code that is free to be downloaded, edited, and redistributed, often without restriction.

Freeware

Software provided without charge or fee, distributed without source code, and protected by copyright laws prohibiting modification or redistribution.

Shareware

Software provided free for a trial period, distributed without source code, which requires payment or registration at the end of the trial to unlock additional features.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Technology capable of storing decision-making algorithms and past data to adapt, learn from mistakes, predict outcomes, and automate tasks like image or speech recognition.