Software license

What is a Software License?

A software license is a legal agreement that governs how software is used and distributed. A licensing agreement is legally enforceable, and software license compliance implies only utilizing software in line with the terms and conditions set forth by the software creator.

Some small scripts are frequently released without specifying a license. For example, the website Userscripts.org hosts more than 52,000 license-free user scripts. Similarly, GitHub reported in 2015 that 85% of the projects it hosts are unlicensed. With license-free software, you can back it up, compile it, run it, share it and even modify it as necessary, without permission from the copyright holder. The same is not true for licensed software. In general, you purchase the right to use the software according to the terms of the software agreement, however, you do not own it and you are not permitted to modify or re-distribute it.

Types of software licenses

You can reuse code snippets, libraries, functions, frameworks, and complete apps if you develop code. If you want to add software code to your codebase, it comes with particular rights and obligations. Although free and open-source software (FOSS) is free, you are not free to use it whatever you like. Even unlicensed code snippets copied from Stack Overflow have obligations for reuse. But formally developed code usually comes with a specific software license.

Here are five types of common software license models you should know about. Four are examples of open source licenses (which allow you to reuse code to some extent), and one disallows any reuse whatsoever.

1.Public domain

This is the most permissive software license available. When software is in the public domain, it can be modified and used without restriction by anybody. However, before incorporating it into your own codebase, check sure it’s secure. Warning: Code that does not have an explicit license is not in the public domain by default. This comprises code snippets gleaned from the web.

2.Permissive

Permissive licenses are also referred to as “Apache-style” or “BSD-style” licenses. They include the bare minimum of restrictions on how the software can be updated or disseminated. This is likely the most common sort of software license used with free and open-source software. Aside from the Apache License and the BSD License, the MIT License is another popular variation.

3.LGPL

You can link to open source libraries in your software under the GNU Lesser General Public License. You can release your program under any license you wish, even a proprietary license, if you merely compile or link an LGPL-licensed library with your own code. If you change the library or copy parts of it into your own code, you’ll have to release your program under the same license as the LGP.

4.Copyleft

Reciprocal or restricted licenses are other terms for copyleft licenses. The GPL is the most well-known example of a copyleft or reciprocal license. These licenses allow you to change the licensed code and distribute new works based on it as long as any new works or adaptations are distributed under the same software license. For example, a component’s license might say the work is free to use and distribute for personal use only. So any derivative you create would also be limited to personal use only.

5.Proprietary

Of all types of software licenses, this is the most restrictive. The idea behind it is that all rights are reserved. It’s generally used for proprietary software where the work may not be modified or redistributed.

Ownership vs Licensing

Is Software Ownership The Same As Licensing?

Let’s take a simple example to discuss the above matter.

What happens after you buy a specific piece of software? What is the purpose of the license agreement if you have purchased software? Do you now own the program as a result of your payment?

Simply the answer is NO! Though you may have paid for the software, what you have actually done is licensed it, which means you have paid for the rights to use it according to the owner’s terms.

The copyright belongs to the person or entity who owns the program, providing them the sole legal ability to sell, distribute, duplicate, and/or change the software’s content. And regardless of how many times the owner legally distributes the program, the rights to the software stay with the owner unless the individual or organization transfers ownership rights.

Copyright law

Copyright refers to the legal right of the owner of intellectual property. In simpler terms, copyright is the right to copy. This means that the original creators of products and anyone they give authorization to are the only ones with the exclusive right to reproduce the work.

Copyright law gives creators of original material the exclusive right to further use and duplicate that material for a given amount of time, at which point the copyrighted item becomes public domain.

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