How has the open source development process influenced software development in general?
Open source development software is developed collaboratively.Source code is freely available for use and modification. The open source movement arose because some developers came to believe that competition amongst vendors’ leads to inferior products and that the best approach to development is a collaborative one.
What are some trends regarding the future of software development?
Blogs:
A growing number of big-name software developers are finding that they can make better software applications if they share information with potential customers from the start and incorporate customer feedback into development decisions. While developers of games software have used this method for years, business software makers are now also catching on and using blogs (Web logs) as an important part of the development process.
How do you choose the "right" programming language for your project?
For most projects, the right language is easy to choose.
System Development Life Cycle Models:
The systems development life cycle model was developed as a structured approach to information system development that guides all the processes involved from an initial feasibility study through to maintenance of the finished application. SDLC models take a variety of approaches to development.
How is Software Development guided?
The software development process is almost invariably guided by some systematic software development method (SDM). Referred to by a number of terms, including process models, development guidelines, and systems development life cycle models (SDLC), software development methods nevertheless generally include the same development phases:

