Freeware (from "free" and "software") is computer software Computer software, or just software is a general term used to describe the role that computer programs, procedures and documentation play in a computer system that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee.[1] The opposite of Freeware is Payware.
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History
The term freeware was coined by Andrew Fluegelman Andrew Cardozo Fluegelman was a publisher, programmer and attorney best known as the inventor of what is now known as the shareware business model for software marketing. He was also the leader of the 1970s New Games movement which advocated the development of noncompetitive games when he wanted to sell a communications program named PC-Talk 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 that he had created but for which he did not wish to use traditional methods of distribution because of their cost.[2] Fluegelman actually distributed PC-Talk via a process now referred to as shareware The term shareware, popularized by Bob Wallace, refers to proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a periodical such as a. Current use of the term freeware does not necessarily match the original concept by Andrew Fluegelman.
Criteria
Software classified as freeware is normally fully functional for an unlimited time with no cost, monetary or otherwise. Freeware can be proprietary software Proprietary software is any computer software with restrictions on use or private modification, or with restrictions judged to be excessive on copying or publishing of modified or unmodified versions. The term proprietary software is thus the opposite of free software, generally speaking. These restrictions are placed on it by one of its available at zero price.[3] The author usually restricts one or more rights to copy, distribute, and make derivative works of the software.[4] The software license may impose 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".
Accordingly, freeware may or may not be free and open source software Free and open-source software, also F/OSS, FOSS, or FLOSS is software that is liberally licensed to grant the right of users to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code. This approach has gained both momentum and acceptance as the potential benefits have been increasingly recognized by both individuals and and, in order to distinguish, the Free Software Foundation The Free Software Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded by Richard Stallman on 4 October 1985 to support the free software movement, a copyleft-based movement which aims to promote the universal freedom to distribute and modify computer software. The FSF is incorporated in Massachusetts, USA asks users to avoid calling "freeware" free software.[5] The principal difference being that free software can be used, studied, and modified without restriction; free software embodies the concept of "free speech" while freeware that of "free beer". Freeware is also different from shareware The term shareware, popularized by Bob Wallace, refers to proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a periodical such as a; the latter obliges the user to pay after some trial period or to gain additional functionality.[6]
See also
- List of freeware games This is a list of freeware video games implemented as traditional executable files that must be downloaded and installed. Freeware games are games that are released as freeware and can be downloaded and played, free of charge, for an unlimited amount of time and may be redistributed
- List of commercial video games released as freeware
- Gratis versus Libre Gratis versus libre is the distinction between "for zero price" and "freedom" (libre). Gratis appears in many English dictionaries, including the Oxford English Dictionary. However, libre does so less commonly, and no English adjective signifies "liberty" exclusively and as distinct from "at no monetary cost"
- Shareware The term shareware, popularized by Bob Wallace, refers to proprietary software that is provided to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of functionality, availability or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a periodical such as a
References
- ^ Merriam-Webster definition of freeware
- ^ http://textfiles.fisher.hu/news/freeware.txt
- ^ Dixon, Rod (2004). Open Source Software Law. Artech House. p. 4. ISBN 9781580537193. http://books.google.com/books?id=9b_vVPf53xcC&pg=PA4&dq=%22free+software%22+freeware#PPA4,M1. Retrieved 2009-03-16. "On the other hand, freeware does not require any payment from the licensee or end-user, but it is not precisely free software, despite the fact that to an end-user the software is acquired in what appears to be an identical manner."
- ^ Graham, Lawrence D (1999). Legal battles that shaped the computer industry. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 175. ISBN 9781567201789. http://books.google.com/books?id=c6IS3RnN6qAC&pg=PA175&dq=%22Legal+battles+that+shaped+the+computer+industry%22+%22from+the+beginning+of+the+computer+age%22. Retrieved 2009-03-16. "Freeware, however, is generally only free in terms of price; the author typically retains all other rights, including the rights to copy, distribute, and make derivative works from the software."
- ^ http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/words-to-avoid.html#Freeware
- ^ The Linux Information Project (2006-10-22). "Freeware Definition". http://www.linfo.org/freeware.html. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
External links
- Freeware at the Open Directory Project The Open Directory Project , 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
Categories: Freeware | Software licenses Categories: Software by license | Software distribution | Copyright licenses | Computer law
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For those in love with the iPhone here is one completely free for you, called the iCalcy. No it doesn't let you make a phone call or let you download apps, ...
Freewares from MacUpdate
Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:42:01 GM
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Q. A good piece of freeware that allows music remixes, that can cut and paste parts from one song and put them into another.
Asked by thawkins101 - Fri Jun 19 08:37:25 2009 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments
A. The best I have come across is Audacity. You can find reviews to this and other good editors here ;
Answered by jtk174 - Fri Jun 19 09:05:06 2009
