Differences between free ware, shareware and license software

[t-qiu...@hotmail.com]

Name: Tan Qiu Xiang (22498)

Faculty: FSTS

E-mail: t-qiu...@hotmail.com

Question 9

Computer software which is used with no cost or for an optional fee is
Free ware. Whereas shareware refers to copyrighted commercial software
that is distributed without any charge on a trial basis. It means
shareware distributed free on a trial basis with the understanding
that the user may need or want to pay for it later. A
license software is a legal instrument governing the usage or
redistribution of copyright protected software.

Free ware normally available in a binary-only. It allows authors to
contribute something for the benefit of the community, while at the
same time allowing them to maintain their control of the source code,
future direction of development and preserve its business ability. On
the other hand, shareware is limited by any combination of
functionality, availability or convenience which often offers in form
of download from an Internet website or as compact disc. A typical
license software might asked user permission to use on or more copies
of software.

Shareware is usually as a trial version with certain features only
available after the license is purchased. Whereas for free ware,
author solicits no payment but he may request a donation. For license
software, Software publisher's might asked user for the copyright.
Most software is licensed rather than sold, which means purchasers are
never the actual owners of the software, although they
may be able to use it without any time limit.

Software developers offer a shareware version of their program with a
built-in expiration date (after 30 days, the user can no longer get
access to the program). Even tough freeware offerred no cost, but it
is copyrighted so that we can't incorporate its programming into
anything we might be developing. The least restrictive "no-cost"
programs are uncopyrighted programs in the public domain software.
Normally, when reusing public domain software in our own programs,
it's good to know the history of the program so that we can be sure it
really is in the public domain. Whereas a license software does not
automatically transfer the ownership of the software to the buyer and
its purchase price, in effect, is a one time rental fee.

The examples of shareware are newspaper and magazine. The example of
license software are Microsoft Windows, Business Process Visual
ARCHITECT (ME) and HS COM. The example of free ware are small UNIX
programs, AvantGo and MedCalc.

5 website that can freely download software

(a) http://www.fileplaza.com/
(b) http://www.download3000.com/
(c) http://www.filehippo.com/
(d) http://www.brothersoft.com/
(e) http://www.soft32.com/

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_license#Software_licenses_and_copyright_law

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=software+license&i=51686,00.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shareware

http://gsm.utmck.edu/library/pda/tutorial/freeware.htm

http://www.filesland.com/download/floating-license.html