Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A proprietary license is a permission given by the owner of a software or intellectual property to use, copy, or modify their work. This license is usually revocable and restricts the user's ability to distribute or modify the software.
For example, Microsoft Office is a proprietary software that requires a license to use. The license agreement restricts the user from copying or distributing the software to others. Another example is the BSD license, which allows users to incorporate the source code into proprietary products as long as the original creator's name is not used to endorse or promote the products without permission.
Proprietary licenses are different from open-source licenses, which allow users to copy, distribute, and modify the software freely.