What is a Software Licence?
A software licence is a legal agreement that explains how software can be used, copied, modified and distributed.
There are two main types of software licence you need to know about:
- Proprietary software
- Open source software
Proprietary Software
Software that is owned by an individual or company. The source code is usually kept private and users must follow the conditions of the licence.
It is sometimes called closed source software.
Examples of proprietary software:
- Microsoft Office
- Adobe Photoshop
- GTA 6
- Often professionally developed and supported
- Source code is not made available, and the user is not allowed to edit it
- The user must usually pay to purchase or subscribe to it
- The cost may be high
- Reliant on one company – what happens if the company stops supporting it or ceases trading?
- It may not fully meet the customer's needs
Open Source Software
Software where the source code is freely available so users can view, modify, and redistribute it. There are still some restrictions on the software, such as users not being allowed to claim that they developed it, or sell modified versions of it.
Open source is often developed for the community, by the community to provide an alternative resource to proprietary software.
Examples of proprietary software:
- LibreOffice
- Linux
- Blender
- Users can edit and customise the software to meet their needs
- Support is provided by an online community of users
- Bug-fixes may appear faster than proprietary software
- Expert knowledge may be needed to edit the software
- Reliant on the online community for support and updates. Some software may be very poorly supported
- The quality of software may vary considerably
Paid-for vs Free Software
All open source software is free to use, but a lot of proprietary is also free to use. The business may generate income from adverts or from other paid-for products or services alongside it.
Misconception
Open source does not simply mean "free software". The important distinction for J277 is the freedom to edit the source code.
"Free" and "paid for" will not be acceptable definitions in the GCSE exam!