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Information about Freeware

Freeware is copyrighted computer software which is made available for use free of charge, for an unlimited time. Authors of freeware often want to "give something to the community", but also want credit for their software and to retain control of its future development.

Freeware is different from shareware, where the user is required to pay (e.g. after some trial period or for additional functionality). It should be noted that although free software is sometimes used as a synonym for freeware, it is not the same as Free Software.

History

The term freeware was coined by Andrew Fluegelman when he wanted to sell a communications program named PC-Talk that he had created but for which he did not wish to use traditional methods of distribution because of their cost.[1] Previously, he held a trademark on the term "freeware" but this trademark has since been abandoned. Fluegelman actually distributed PC-Talk via a process now referred to as shareware.

Criteria

The only criterion for being classified as "freeware" is that the software must be made available for use for an unlimited time at no cost. The software license may impose one or more other restrictions on the type of use including personal use, individual use, non-profit use, non-commercial use, academic use, commercial use or any combination of these. For instance, the license may be "free for personal, non-commercial use." Everything created with the freeware programs can be distributed at no cost (for example graphic, documents, or sounds made by user).

There is some software which may be considered freeware, but which has limited distribution; that is, it may only be downloaded from a specific site, and cannot be redistributed. Hence, this software wouldn't be freely redistributable software. According to the basic definition, that software would be freeware; according to stricter definitions, it wouldn't be.

The term 'freeware' may include public domain software and proprietary software. However, freeware does not include such loss leaders as crippleware, adware, shareware or demoware, where there is hidden cost to be paid to use the software. Such a cost may be having to give up part of your screen in order for the program to display advertising; continually being reminded about a "pro" version of the program via nag screens; having to use the program quickly before it becomes disabled; etc. Note that there are other types of costs than monetary when describing the term "free" as in "freeware."

See also

References

1. ^ [1]

External links

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Forms of software distribution
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Not to be confused with copywriting.

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Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some task on a computer system. [1]
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Shareware is a marketing method for computer software. Shareware software is typically obtained free of charge, often by downloading from the Internet or on magazine cover-disks. A user tries out the program, and thus shareware has also been known as "try before you buy".
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Free software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions only to ensure that further recipients can also do these things.
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Andrew Cardozo Fluegelman (born November 27 1943 -- presumably died July 6 1985) was a publisher, programmer and attorney[1] best known as the inventor of what is now known as the shareware business model for software marketing.
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PC-Talk was a communications software program. It was one of the first three widely popular software products sold via the marketing method that became known as shareware. It was originally written by Andrew Fluegelman, in late 1982.
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trademark or trade mark[1] is a distinctive sign or indicator of some kind which is used by an individual, business organization or other legal entity to uniquely identify the source of its products and/or services to consumers, and to distinguish its products or
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Shareware is a marketing method for computer software. Shareware software is typically obtained free of charge, often by downloading from the Internet or on magazine cover-disks. A user tries out the program, and thus shareware has also been known as "try before you buy".
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Freely redistributable software (FRS) is software that anyone is free to redistribute. The term has been used to mean two types of free to redistribute software, distinguished by the legal modifiability of the software. FRS which can be legally modified is the same as free software.
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Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction.
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Proprietary software (also called non-free software or closed-source software) is software with restrictions on using, copying and modifying as enforced by the proprietor.
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In marketing, a loss leader (also called a key value item in the United Kingdom) is a type of pricing strategy where an item is sold below cost in an effort to stimulate other, profitable sales. It is a kind of sales promotion.
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Crippleware is any product whose functions have been limited (or "crippled", thus the name) with the express purpose of requiring the user to pay for those functions (either paying a one-time fee or continually paying a service).
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Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used.
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Shareware is a marketing method for computer software. Shareware software is typically obtained free of charge, often by downloading from the Internet or on magazine cover-disks. A user tries out the program, and thus shareware has also been known as "try before you buy".
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Demoware (also known as trialware) is commercial software released for free (shareware) in a version which is limited in one or more ways. Some of the most common limitations are:

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Free software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions only to ensure that further recipients can also do these things.
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Abandonware refers to computer software that is no longer current. While the term has been applied largely to older games, other classes of software are sometimes described as such also.
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The legal aspects of technology involve many different terms. This page attempts to provide short and accurate definitions of these terms, as they pertain to technology, with links to more information in Wikipedia.
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Freely redistributable software (FRS) is software that anyone is free to redistribute. The term has been used to mean two types of free to redistribute software, distinguished by the legal modifiability of the software. FRS which can be legally modified is the same as free software.
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This is a list of freeware video games.

Freeware games are games that are released as freeware and can be downloaded and played, free of charge, for an unlimited length of time.
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Commercial games released as freeware are games that, in their original license, were not considered freeware, but were re-released at a later date with a freeware license, sometimes as publicity for a forthcoming sequel or compilation release.
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This is a list of open-source software packages: computer software licensed under an open-source license. Software that fits the Free software definition may be more appropriately called free software; the GNU project in particular objects to their works being referred to as »open
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Gratis versus Libre is the distinction between zero price (gratis) and freedom (libre). is slowly becoming more common in the English language. However, libre has not, and no English adjective signifies freedom only.
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Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as dmoz (from directory.mozilla.org, its original domain name), is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links owned by Netscape that is constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors.
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Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some task on a computer system. [1]
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Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used.
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Beerware is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek term for software released under a very relaxed license. It provides the end user with the right to use a particular program (or obtain and modify its source code) if they buy the author a beer, or, in some variations, drink a beer in the
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Careware (or charityware, helpware, goodware) is software distributed in a way that benefits a charity. The term "CareWare" is a variant on shareware and freeware.
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Crippleware is any product whose functions have been limited (or "crippled", thus the name) with the express purpose of requiring the user to pay for those functions (either paying a one-time fee or continually paying a service).
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