Software types and licensing
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* FreeWare: Software that is available for use at no cost, OR, for an optional fee. Software referred to as freeware is almost always proprietary and closed source, and thus not free/open-source software. The author of a freeware usually restricts one or more rights to copy, distribute, and make derivative works of the software. | * FreeWare: Software that is available for use at no cost, OR, for an optional fee. Software referred to as freeware is almost always proprietary and closed source, and thus not free/open-source software. The author of a freeware usually restricts one or more rights to copy, distribute, and make derivative works of the software. | ||
| - | * ShareWare: | + | * ShareWare: The term shareware (also known as trialware or demoware) refers to proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability or convenience. Shareware is usually offered either with certain features only available after the license is purchased, or as a full version but for a limited trial period of time. Once the trial period has passed the program may stop running until a license is purchased. Shareware is often offered without supports or updates which only become available with the purchase of a license. |
Revision as of 08:41, 28 September 2010
Software types:
Any software has two forms: It's source code and it's executable binary form.
- For binary form of a software, which has some copyright and is released under some form of software license, there are main two licensing schemes : Proprietory software and Free Software
- Except software in Public Domain, all types of software are normally protected under some form of copyright.
- For the source code of the software (both proprietory and free), there are different protection mechanisms, ranging from unprotected public license to completely protected trade secret.
- A typical software license grants an end-user permission to use one or more copies of software, in ways, where such a use would otherwise may result in copyright infringement of the software owner's exclusive rights under copyright law. In other words, the copyrighted software only becomes usable by the end user, after the owner of the "copy rights" of the software grants some "usage" rights to the end-user.
- When software is purchased "off-the-shelf", such as from a software shop, or internet website, it comes bundled with a license.
- When software comes pre-installed on the hardware you purchase, (such as PC, laptop, etc), it comes as an OEM license.
- FreeWare: Software that is available for use at no cost, OR, for an optional fee. Software referred to as freeware is almost always proprietary and closed source, and thus not free/open-source software. The author of a freeware usually restricts one or more rights to copy, distribute, and make derivative works of the software.
- ShareWare: The term shareware (also known as trialware or demoware) refers to proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability or convenience. Shareware is usually offered either with certain features only available after the license is purchased, or as a full version but for a limited trial period of time. Once the trial period has passed the program may stop running until a license is purchased. Shareware is often offered without supports or updates which only become available with the purchase of a license.
