Software License
What is?
A software license is a legally enforceable document that outlines how to use and distribute software. Software licenses are usually proprietary, free, or open source, with the rules under which users may redistribute or copy the software for future development or usage being the differentiating characteristic.
Types of Software License
There are five main software license categories or types used to cover different kinds of software and various business arrangements. These encompass a wide spectrum of licensing scenarios, from free software to paid commercial software
- Public Domain License
When software is declared to be in the public domain, it can be used and modified by anybody without restriction. This is a “permissive” license that permits you to incorporate the code into your own apps or projects and reuse it as needed.
Businesses must be cautious when using public domain software in projects or other critical applications for a variety of reasons
- Public domain software may not always follow proper coding techniques or meet the security requirements that the application demands.
- Public domain code is not always software that does not come under certain license restrictions. Before copying, reusing, or distributing software, be sure it is genuinely public domain.
2. GNU/LGPL — GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL)
Developers using an LGPL license have the ability to connect to open source libraries from within their own applications. When projects are built or linked to include an LGPL-licensed library, the resulting code can be licensed under any other sort of license — even proprietary.
3. Permissive
This type of license is one of the most common and popular among open-source software licenses. Under a permissive license — also referred to as “Apache” or “BSD style” — there are few restrictions or requirements for the distribution or modifications of the software. Another variation of a permissive software license is the “MIT” license.
4. Copyleft
This license’s terms are restrictive — known as reciprocal licenses. Under the terms of a copyleft license, the licensed code may be modified or distributed as part of a software project if the new code is distributed under the same software license.
5. Proprietary
These software licenses make it illegal to duplicate, alter, or distribute the software. This is the most restrictive form of software license, as it protects the developer or owner of the product from illegal usage.
What is Copyright Law?
Original works of authorship fixed in any physical medium of expression from which they may be viewed, created, or otherwise conveyed, either directly or via the use of a machine or technology, are protected by copyright law.
An original work of authorship that can receive copyright protection extends to:
- literary works
- musical works
- dramatic works
- pantomimes and choreographic works
- pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
- motion pictures and other audiovisual works
- sound recordings, and architectural work
Difference Between Buying and Licensing Software
You get a copy of the program as well as a license to use it when you buy it. You don’t truly own the program; ownership rights are retained by the software firm, and you’re still bound by the license’s terms and conditions.
A software license gives you the right to use a software product. It also governs the use of the software along with the copyright laws, which prevent the unauthorized distribution or reproduction of the software. A license might also specify, among other terms and conditions, whether or not you may install the software on more than one computer and whether or not you can create backup copies of the software.
