Legal Definitions - freeware

Freeware, also commonly referred to as free software, describes computer programs that grant users extensive freedoms regarding their use, modification, and distribution. The defining characteristic of freeware is not necessarily its price, but rather the comprehensive set of rights it provides to users. This means individuals and organizations are explicitly permitted to run the software for any purpose, study how it works, make copies, modify it to suit their specific needs, and distribute their original or modified versions to others, even for commercial gain, without needing to pay royalties or seek special permission.

The term "free" in freeware primarily emphasizes these fundamental freedoms of use and distribution, rather than implying that the software must always be acquired at no cost. While much freeware is indeed available without charge, its core principle lies in the liberty it affords its users.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of freeware:

• Example 1: Operating System for a Small Business

  A newly established graphic design studio decides to power its server infrastructure using a popular distribution of the Linux operating system, such as Debian. They download the operating system from the internet and install it on multiple servers.

  This scenario demonstrates freeware because the studio can download and install Debian on as many servers as they need without purchasing individual licenses. They have the freedom to customize the operating system's configuration to optimize it for their specific design software and workflows, and they can even distribute their customized server images internally to new machines or share them with partner companies, all without legal restrictions or additional costs. The "free" aspect here is about the liberty to use, modify, and distribute, not just the zero acquisition cost.

• Example 2: Educational Software Development

  A non-profit organization focused on digital literacy wants to create a tailored coding curriculum for high school students. They choose to base their teaching platform on Scratch, a visual programming language designed for children and beginners.

  Scratch is an excellent example of freeware. The organization can freely download and install the Scratch editor on all their lab computers. More importantly, they have the freedom to study its source code, modify it to add new features or integrate specific educational modules relevant to their curriculum, and then distribute their enhanced version of Scratch to other schools or educational initiatives. This illustrates the core freeware principle of having the liberty to adapt and share the software for community benefit.

• Example 3: Scientific Research Tools

  A university research team is developing a new algorithm for analyzing complex biological data. They decide to use the R programming language and its extensive ecosystem of packages for their statistical computing and graphics needs.

  R is a prime example of freeware in a professional context. The research team can download and use R and its packages on all their workstations and high-performance computing clusters without any licensing fees. They are free to modify the R source code or develop new packages to implement their novel algorithms, and then publish and distribute these modifications and new tools to the wider scientific community. This freedom to use, adapt, and share is crucial for collaborative scientific advancement, distinguishing R as freeware.