Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!tmsoft!robohack!druid!darcy
From: darcy@druid.uucp (D'Arcy J.M. Cain)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Public Domain, Shareware, etc.
Message-ID: <1990Jul28.120508.3132@druid.uucp>
Date: 28 Jul 90 12:05:08 GMT
References: <9007270846.AA13467@thep.lu.se>
Organization: D'Arcy Cain Consulting, West Hill, Ontario
Lines: 42

In article <9007270846.AA13467@thep.lu.se> magnus@THEP.LU.SE (Magnus Olsson) writes:
>I'm looking for definitions of the various distribution forms for "free"
>software. As far as I've understood, the definitions are as follows:
>
>Public Domain: The software is totally 'public'; you may do almost what you
>like with it - modify it, give it away - as long as you don't sell it opr try
>to pass it off as your own.
>
If it is truly PD I don't think there is any restriction even on selling it.

>Freeware: The software is copyrighted but given away for free. You're not
>allowed to distribute modified versions.
>
I think that this depends on the restrictions the author puts on it.

>Shareware: The software isn't free, but may be distributed freely. Once you've
>tried it out and decided to keep it, you have to pay.
>
Of course "have to pay" is a hotly debated question.  I guess there is no
point in suggesting that we don't have to restart the debate her.  :-)

>Am I permitted to take a PD program, modify it, and use it as a part of a
>commercial program?
>
I think so but the term PD is often used loosly so be careful of any particular
code.

>Is there a name for a distribution form which is like shareware, but you don't
>*have* to pay for it, even if you keep it (but are encouraged to do so)? The
>distinction is perhaps an academic one; I suppose lots of people keep shareware
>without paying, but there's still a difference.
>
Ignoring the question of whether you really have to pay for shareware, the
term for this that I have heard is "Begware."

Disclaimer:  I'm no liar^H^H^Hawyer.

-- 
D'Arcy J.M. Cain (darcy@druid)     |
D'Arcy Cain Consulting             |   MS-DOS:  The Andrew Dice Clay
West Hill, Ontario, Canada         |   of operating systems.
+ 416 281 6094                     |