What do you mean, software for free?!

Simpson (2005) identifies two types of software that can be freely copied without the need for a license or agreement. There has to be a catch, right? Well, to an extent there is. Read on.

(1) Public domain software is a computer program that is released by the author of a program to be copied by whoever wishes. These programs can be located on websites dedicated to the free copying of software.
(2) The second type of “free” software is somewhat misleading. It isn’t exactly free as it claims. It is know as “shareware.” Shareware is copyrighted. The author of the computer program allows the distribution of the software through a trial-usage method. This method of “free” software is available through the same means as public domain software. Still feel like reading about this “free software?” Once the software has been used after downloading, the user is expected to make a (involuntary) donation, anywhere up to $100. Some software producers will give a user a time period for the trial period. To ensure that the user pays for the use, the computer software may or may not work after the trial period. This all seems sort of sketchy, but it’s a business like any other. Amazingly enough, some program authors have a policy that the user only pays if they like it. Weird, huh?

Andrew Fluegelman, an editor of PC World Magazine first started the idea of “freeware” software in 1982. The regulations for the PC Talk Software Fluegelman began seemed quite foreign and unlawful at the time. Most software was accompanied by phrases such as (Manes 2008) “PLEASE NOTE that it should not be necessary to make any user modifications to the program” (however it also gave a list of suggested modifications!?). With some software, the license agreement only appeared if you used the program code. Within the “pop-up” agreement were the policies that you couldn’t distribute the software in the modified form and you couldn’t charge for it. Other programmers have offered similar software, claiming to be better, faster and more flexible than Fluegelman’s initial efforts.

Anti-Piracy Heros - next post!



References
tor" content="Microsoft Word 10">Manes, S. (2008, March). 25 years ago: Free, easy, software begins. PC World, 26(3), 144.

Simpson, C. (2005). Computer software in schools. In Copyright for schools (pp. 131-141). Worthington, OH: Linworth.