In this paper will give an overview of the approaches of software licensing, introduction to proprietarial software and non-proprietarial software and the differences between them.
The paper also talked about the benefits of open source for governments and the government development of software specially free software.
Conclusion
There are many significant advantages to a broad government adoption of free software, ranging from potential cost savings, adoption of open standards and protocols, wider use of stronger, more flexible and more secure software, to the social benefit of promoting a contributory commons of free software. However, governments have to be aware of the obligations that may be imposed by the use and redistribution of open source software, and when exactly these obligations will arise. Governments must also be aware of the effect that implied warranties may have upon the sale or supply of free software by virtue of the Trade Practices Act, and the limitations inherent in the exclusion of liability clauses in many free software licences.
The evaluation of whether a government should use free software for any given application is a complex matter. However, with the continual increase in quality and quantity of available solutions, coupled with increased understanding of the advantages and obligations involved, we can expect and hope to see much more widespread use of free software in governments in the near future.
Full White Paper
Legal Issues for the Use of Free and Open Source Software in Government (PDF)