Lesson 5: Intellectual Property and Academic Integrity

Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: software, books, music, etc. The Philippine IP Code (RA 8293) covers patents, trademarks, and copyrights. For IT, copyright is key: software code is automatically copyrighted, and copying it without permission is infringement.

IT professionals must respect IP. This means using licensed software (even if a friend says "it's easy to just download"), and giving credit when reusing code (either through licenses like MIT/BSD or by citing sources). For example, using an open-source library is fine if you follow its license (GPL, Apache, MIT, etc.), but using paid software without a license is illegal. On exams, students might face questions like "What makes software proprietary vs open-source?" or "Is it ethical to share your school project code with others?" The answer should mention licenses and give credit, showing an understanding of IP principles.

There are many licenses, but in BSIT classes know two broad categories: proprietary vs open-source. Proprietary (closed-source) software (like Microsoft Office) requires buying a license. Open-source (like Linux, MySQL, Apache) is free to use, modify, and share, often with conditions (GPL requires sharing changes, MIT/BSD are more permissive).

In practice questions, you may be asked to pick a license for a student project. If sharing code and not wanting others to patent it, MIT/BSD are common for student apps. If you want to ensure changes stay open, GPL. Understand the idea: GPL "copyleft" means anyone who distributes your modified code must also share the source. At least memorize that open-source licenses exist and have basic differences.