<s>
A	O
software	B-License
license	I-License
is	O
a	O
legal	O
instrument	O
(	O
usually	O
by	O
way	O
of	O
contract	O
law	O
,	O
with	O
or	O
without	O
printed	O
material	O
)	O
governing	O
the	O
use	O
or	O
redistribution	O
of	O
software	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Under	O
United	O
States	O
copyright	O
law	O
,	O
all	O
software	O
is	O
copyright	O
protected	O
,	O
in	O
both	O
source	O
code	O
and	O
object	B-Language
code	I-Language
forms	O
,	O
unless	O
that	O
software	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
Government	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
case	O
it	O
cannot	O
be	O
copyrighted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Authors	O
of	O
copyrighted	B-Application
software	I-Application
can	O
donate	O
their	O
software	O
to	O
the	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
,	O
in	O
which	O
case	O
it	O
is	O
also	O
not	O
covered	O
by	O
copyright	O
and	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
,	O
cannot	O
be	O
licensed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
typical	O
software	B-License
license	I-License
grants	O
the	O
licensee	B-Application
,	O
typically	O
an	O
end-user	O
,	O
permission	O
to	O
use	O
one	O
or	O
more	O
copies	O
of	O
software	O
in	O
ways	O
where	O
such	O
a	O
use	O
would	O
otherwise	O
potentially	O
constitute	O
copyright	O
infringement	O
of	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
owner	O
's	O
exclusive	O
rights	O
under	O
copyright	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Free	O
and	O
open	O
(	O
software	O
must	O
have	O
source	O
code	O
provided	O
)	O
Non-free	O
Public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
Permissive	B-License
license	I-License
Copyleft	B-License
(	O
protective	O
license	O
)	O
Noncommercial	O
license	O
Proprietary	B-Application
license	I-Application
Trade	O
secret	O
Description	O
Grants	O
all	O
rights	O
Grants	O
use	O
rights	O
,	O
including	O
right	O
to	O
relicense	O
(	O
allows	O
proprietization	B-Application
,	O
license	O
compatibility	O
)	O
Grants	O
use	O
rights	O
,	O
forbids	O
proprietization	B-Application
Grants	O
rights	O
for	O
noncommercial	O
use	O
only	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
May	O
be	O
combined	O
with	O
copyleft	B-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
common	O
categories	O
for	O
software	O
under	O
copyright	O
law	O
,	O
and	O
therefore	O
with	O
licenses	O
which	O
grant	O
the	O
licensee	B-Application
specific	O
rights	O
,	O
are	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
and	O
free	B-License
and	I-License
open-source	I-License
software	I-License
(	O
FOSS	B-License
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
distinct	O
conceptual	O
difference	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
is	O
the	O
granting	O
of	O
rights	O
to	O
modify	O
and	O
re-use	O
a	O
software	B-Application
product	I-Application
obtained	O
by	O
a	O
customer	O
:	O
FOSS	B-License
software	B-License
licenses	I-License
both	O
rights	O
to	O
the	O
customer	O
and	O
therefore	O
bundles	O
the	O
modifiable	O
source	O
code	O
with	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
(	O
"	O
open-source	B-Application
"	O
)	O
,	O
while	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
typically	O
does	O
not	O
license	O
these	O
rights	O
and	O
therefore	O
keeps	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
hidden	O
(	O
"	O
closed	B-Application
source	I-Application
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
granting	O
rights	O
and	O
imposing	O
restrictions	O
on	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
copyrighted	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
software	B-License
licenses	I-License
typically	O
contain	O
provisions	O
which	O
allocate	O
liability	O
and	O
responsibility	O
between	O
the	O
parties	O
entering	O
into	O
the	O
license	O
agreement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
enterprise	O
and	O
commercial	O
software	O
transactions	O
,	O
these	O
terms	O
often	O
include	O
limitations	O
of	O
liability	O
,	O
warranties	O
and	O
warranty	O
disclaimers	O
,	O
and	O
indemnity	O
if	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
infringes	O
intellectual	O
property	O
rights	O
of	O
anyone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlicensed	O
software	O
outside	O
the	O
scope	O
of	O
copyright	O
protection	O
is	O
either	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
software	I-Application
(	O
PD	O
)	O
or	O
software	O
which	O
is	O
non-distributed	O
,	O
non-licensed	O
and	O
handled	O
as	O
internal	O
business	O
trade	O
secret	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contrary	O
to	O
popular	O
belief	O
,	O
distributed	O
unlicensed	O
software	O
(	O
not	O
in	O
the	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
)	O
is	O
fully	O
copyright	O
protected	O
,	O
and	O
therefore	O
legally	O
unusable	O
(	O
as	O
no	O
usage	O
rights	O
at	O
all	O
are	O
granted	O
by	O
a	O
license	O
)	O
until	O
it	O
passes	O
into	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
after	O
the	O
copyright	O
term	O
has	O
expired	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Examples	O
of	O
this	O
are	O
unauthorized	O
software	O
leaks	O
or	O
software	O
projects	O
which	O
are	O
placed	O
on	O
public	O
software	O
repositories	O
like	O
GitHub	B-Application
without	O
a	O
specified	O
license	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
voluntarily	O
handing	O
software	O
into	O
the	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
(	O
before	O
reaching	O
the	O
copyright	O
term	O
)	O
is	O
problematic	O
in	O
some	O
jurisdictions	O
(	O
for	O
instance	O
the	O
law	O
of	O
Germany	O
)	O
,	O
there	O
are	O
also	O
licenses	O
granting	O
PD-like	O
rights	O
,	O
for	O
instance	O
the	O
CC0	O
or	O
WTFPL	B-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
+	O
Software	B-License
licenses	I-License
and	O
rights	O
granted	O
in	O
context	O
of	O
the	O
copyright	O
according	O
to	O
Mark	O
Webbink	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Expanded	O
by	O
freeware	B-License
and	O
sublicensing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rights	O
granted	O
Public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
Permissive	B-License
FOSSlicense	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
BSD	B-Operating_System
license	I-Operating_System
)	O
Copyleft	B-License
FOSSlicense	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
GPL	B-License
)	O
Freeware/Shareware/Freemium	O
Proprietary	B-Application
license	I-Application
Trade	O
secret	O
Copyright	O
retained	O
Right	O
to	O
perform	O
Right	O
to	O
display	O
Right	O
to	O
copy	O
Right	O
to	O
modify	O
Right	O
to	O
distribute	O
Right	O
to	O
sublicense	O
Example	O
software	O
SQLite	B-Language
,	O
ImageJ	B-Language
Apache	B-Application
web	I-Application
server	I-Application
,	O
ToyBox	B-Language
Linux	B-Operating_System
kernel	I-Operating_System
,	O
GIMP	B-Application
,	O
OBS	B-Language
Irfanview	B-Protocol
,	O
Winamp	B-Application
,	O
League	B-Application
of	I-Application
Legends	I-Application
Windows	O
,	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
commercial	O
video	O
games	O
and	O
their	O
DRMs	O
,	O
Spotify	B-Application
,	O
xSplit	B-Application
,	O
TIDAL	B-Application
Server-sideCloud	O
computing	O
programs	O
and	O
services	O
,	O
forensic	O
applications	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
line-of-business	O
work	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
proprietary	B-Application
or	O
open	B-Application
source	I-Application
software	I-Application
houses	O
sell	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
copy	O
with	O
a	O
license	O
to	O
use	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
is	O
no	O
transferring	O
of	O
ownership	O
of	O
the	O
good	O
to	O
the	O
user	O
,	O
who	O
does	O
not	O
have	O
the	O
warranty	O
of	O
a	O
for-life	O
availability	O
of	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
nor	O
are	O
they	O
entitled	O
to	O
sell	O
,	O
rent	O
,	O
give	O
it	O
to	O
someone	O
,	O
copy	O
or	O
redistribute	O
it	O
on	O
the	O
Web	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
Section	O
117	O
of	O
the	O
Copyright	O
Act	O
gives	O
the	O
owner	O
of	O
a	O
particular	O
copy	O
of	O
software	O
the	O
explicit	O
right	O
to	O
use	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
with	O
a	O
computer	O
,	O
even	O
if	O
use	O
of	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
with	O
a	O
computer	O
requires	O
the	O
making	O
of	O
incidental	O
copies	O
or	O
adaptations	O
(	O
acts	O
which	O
could	O
otherwise	O
potentially	O
constitute	O
copyright	O
infringement	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Therefore	O
,	O
the	O
owner	O
of	O
a	O
copy	O
of	O
computer	B-Application
software	I-Application
is	O
legally	O
entitled	O
to	O
use	O
that	O
copy	O
of	O
software	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Hence	O
,	O
if	O
the	O
end-user	O
of	O
software	O
is	O
the	O
owner	O
of	O
the	O
respective	O
copy	O
,	O
then	O
the	O
end-user	O
may	O
legally	O
use	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
without	O
a	O
license	O
from	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
many	O
proprietary	B-Application
"	O
licenses	O
"	O
only	O
enumerate	O
the	O
rights	O
that	O
the	O
user	O
already	O
has	O
under	O
,	O
and	O
yet	O
proclaim	O
to	O
take	O
rights	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
user	O
,	O
these	O
contracts	O
may	O
lack	O
consideration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
licenses	I-Application
often	O
proclaim	O
to	O
give	O
software	O
publishers	O
more	O
control	O
over	O
the	O
way	O
their	O
software	O
is	O
used	O
by	O
keeping	O
ownership	O
of	O
each	O
copy	O
of	O
software	O
with	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
doing	O
so	O
,	O
Section	O
117	O
does	O
not	O
apply	O
to	O
the	O
end-user	O
and	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
may	O
then	O
compel	O
the	O
end-user	O
to	O
accept	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
terms	O
of	O
the	O
license	O
agreement	O
,	O
many	O
of	O
which	O
may	O
be	O
more	O
restrictive	O
than	O
copyright	O
law	O
alone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ownership	O
of	O
digital	O
goods	O
,	O
like	O
software	O
applications	O
and	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
is	O
challenged	O
by	O
"	O
licensed	O
,	O
not	O
sold	O
"	O
EULAs	O
of	O
digital	O
distributors	O
like	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
hallmark	O
of	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
licenses	I-Application
is	O
that	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
grants	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
one	O
or	O
more	O
copies	O
of	O
software	O
under	O
the	O
end-user	O
license	O
agreement	O
(	O
EULA	O
)	O
,	O
but	O
ownership	O
of	O
those	O
copies	O
remains	O
with	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
(	O
hence	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
term	O
"	O
proprietary	B-Application
"	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
feature	O
of	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
licenses	I-Application
means	O
that	O
certain	O
rights	O
regarding	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
are	O
reserved	O
by	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Therefore	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
typical	O
of	O
EULAs	O
to	O
include	O
terms	O
which	O
define	O
the	O
uses	O
of	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
installations	O
allowed	O
or	O
the	O
terms	O
of	O
distribution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
most	O
significant	O
effect	O
of	O
this	O
form	O
of	O
licensing	O
is	O
that	O
,	O
if	O
ownership	O
of	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
remains	O
with	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
publisher	O
,	O
then	O
the	O
end-user	O
must	O
accept	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
license	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
other	O
words	O
,	O
without	O
acceptance	O
of	O
the	O
license	O
,	O
the	O
end-user	O
may	O
not	O
use	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
at	O
all	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
example	O
of	O
such	O
a	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
license	I-Application
is	O
the	O
license	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
is	O
usually	O
the	O
case	O
with	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
licenses	I-Application
,	O
this	O
license	O
contains	O
an	O
extensive	O
list	O
of	O
activities	O
which	O
are	O
restricted	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
:	O
reverse	O
engineering	O
,	O
simultaneous	O
use	O
of	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
by	O
multiple	O
users	O
,	O
and	O
publication	O
of	O
benchmarks	O
or	O
performance	O
tests	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
numerous	O
types	O
of	O
licensing	O
models	O
,	O
varying	O
from	O
simple	O
perpetual	B-License
licenses	I-License
and	O
floating	O
licenses	O
(	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
concurrent	O
licenses	O
)	O
to	O
more	O
advanced	O
models	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
metered	O
license	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
open	O
volume	B-License
licensing	I-License
programs	O
are	O
typically	O
called	O
open	O
license	O
program	O
(	O
OLP	O
)	O
,	O
transactional	O
license	O
program	O
(	O
TLP	O
)	O
,	O
volume	B-License
license	I-License
program	O
(	O
VLP	O
)	O
etc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
perpetual	B-License
licenses	I-License
,	O
one	O
year	O
of	O
maintenance	O
is	O
often	O
required	O
,	O
but	O
maintenance	O
(	O
subscription	O
)	O
renewals	O
are	O
discounted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Software	B-License
licensing	I-License
often	O
also	O
includes	O
maintenance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
,	O
usually	O
with	O
a	O
term	O
of	O
one	O
year	O
,	O
is	O
either	O
included	O
or	O
optional	O
,	O
but	O
must	O
often	O
be	O
bought	O
with	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
maintenance	O
agreement	O
(	O
contract	O
)	O
typically	O
contains	O
a	O
clause	O
that	O
allows	O
the	O
licensee	B-Application
to	O
receive	O
minor	O
updates	O
(	O
V.1.1	O
=>	O
1.2	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
sometimes	O
major	O
updates	O
(	O
V.1.2	O
=>	O
2.0	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Maintenance	O
sometimes	O
includes	O
technical	B-General_Concept
support	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
it	O
does	O
,	O
the	O
level	O
of	O
technical	B-General_Concept
support	I-General_Concept
,	O
which	O
are	O
commonly	O
named	O
gold	O
,	O
silver	O
and	O
bronze	O
,	O
can	O
vary	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
communication	O
method	O
(	O
i.e.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
several	O
organizations	O
in	O
the	O
FOSS	B-License
domain	O
who	O
give	O
out	O
guidelines	O
and	O
definitions	O
regarding	O
software	B-License
licenses	I-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
Free	B-Operating_System
Software	I-Operating_System
Foundation	I-Operating_System
maintains	O
non-exhaustive	O
lists	O
of	O
software	B-License
licenses	I-License
following	O
their	O
The	B-Application
Free	I-Application
Software	I-Application
Definition	I-Application
and	O
licenses	O
which	O
the	O
FSF	B-Operating_System
considers	O
non-free	O
for	O
various	O
reasons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FSF	B-Operating_System
distinguishes	O
additionally	O
between	O
free	B-Application
software	I-Application
licenses	O
that	O
are	O
compatible	O
or	O
incompatible	O
with	O
the	O
FSF	B-Operating_System
license	O
of	O
choice	O
,	O
the	O
copyleft	B-License
GNU	B-License
General	I-License
Public	I-License
License	I-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Open	O
Source	O
Initiative	O
defines	O
a	O
list	O
of	O
certified	O
open-source	B-Application
licenses	O
following	O
their	O
The	B-License
Open	I-License
Source	I-License
Definition	I-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
the	O
Debian	O
project	O
has	O
a	O
list	O
of	O
licenses	O
which	O
follow	O
their	O
Debian	B-License
Free	I-License
Software	I-License
Guidelines	I-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
Free	B-License
and	I-License
open-source	I-License
licenses	O
are	O
commonly	O
classified	O
into	O
two	O
categories	O
:	O
Those	O
with	O
the	O
aim	O
to	O
have	O
minimal	O
requirements	O
about	O
how	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
can	O
be	O
redistributed	O
(	O
permissive	B-License
licenses	I-License
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
protective	O
share-alike	O
(	O
copyleft	B-License
Licenses	I-License
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
example	O
of	O
a	O
copyleft	B-License
free	B-Application
software	I-Application
license	O
is	O
the	O
often	O
used	O
GNU	B-License
General	I-License
Public	I-License
License	I-License
(	O
GPL	B-License
)	O
,	O
also	O
the	O
first	O
copyleft	B-License
license	I-License
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
license	O
is	O
aimed	O
at	O
giving	O
and	O
protecting	O
all	O
users	O
unlimited	O
freedom	O
to	O
use	O
,	O
study	O
,	O
and	O
privately	O
modify	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
and	O
if	O
the	O
user	O
adheres	O
to	O
the	O
terms	O
and	O
conditions	O
of	O
the	O
GPL	B-License
,	O
freedom	O
to	O
redistribute	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
or	O
any	O
modifications	O
to	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
instance	O
,	O
any	O
modifications	O
made	O
and	O
redistributed	O
by	O
the	O
end-user	O
must	O
include	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
for	O
these	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
license	O
of	O
any	O
derivative	O
work	O
must	O
not	O
put	O
any	O
additional	O
restrictions	O
beyond	O
what	O
the	O
GPL	B-License
allows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Examples	O
of	O
permissive	B-License
free	I-License
software	I-License
licenses	I-License
are	O
the	O
BSD	B-Operating_System
license	I-Operating_System
and	O
the	B-License
MIT	I-License
license	I-License
,	O
which	O
give	O
unlimited	O
permission	O
to	O
use	O
,	O
study	O
,	O
and	O
privately	O
modify	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
and	O
includes	O
only	O
minimal	O
requirements	O
on	O
redistribution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
gives	O
a	O
user	O
the	O
permission	O
to	O
take	O
the	O
code	O
and	O
use	O
it	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
closed-source	B-Application
software	I-Application
or	O
software	O
released	O
under	O
a	O
proprietary	B-Application
software	I-Application
license	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
under	O
debate	O
some	O
time	O
if	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
software	I-Application
and	O
public	O
domain-like	O
licenses	O
can	O
be	O
considered	O
as	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
FOSS	B-License
license	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Around	O
2004	O
lawyer	O
Lawrence	O
Rosen	O
argued	O
in	O
the	O
essay	O
"	O
Why	O
the	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
is	O
n't	O
a	O
license	O
"	O
software	O
could	O
not	O
truly	O
be	O
waived	O
into	O
public	B-Application
domain	I-Application
and	O
cannot	O
therefore	O
be	O
interpreted	O
as	O
very	O
permissive	B-License
FOSS	I-License
license	I-License
,	O
a	O
position	O
which	O
faced	O
opposition	O
by	O
Daniel	O
J	O
.	O
Bernstein	O
and	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
