CIO.com

software license

By Ben Lutkevich

What is a software license?

A software license is a document that provides legally binding guidelines for the use and distribution of software.

Software licenses typically provide end users with the right to one or more copies of the software without violating copyrights. The license also defines the responsibilities of the parties entering into the license agreement and may impose restrictions on how the software can be used.

Software licensing terms and conditions usually include fair use of the software, the limitations of liability, warranties and disclaimers. They also specify protections if the software or its use infringes on the intellectual property rights of others.

Software licenses typically are proprietary, free or Open Source. The distinguishing feature is the terms under which users may redistribute or copy the software for future development or use.

How do software licenses work?

A software license is a document that states the rights of the developer and user of a piece of software. It defines how the software can be used and how it will be paid for. The following are some examples of specifications a license might include:

Licenses typically are expressed as an end-user license agreement or an enterprise license agreement. The license is a contract between the user or user organization and the developer. It defines the terms of the license. A user must agree to the terms of the license when acquiring the software.

Software also comes with a license key or product key. The key is used to identify and verify the specific version of the software. It is also used to activate the software on a specific computer or device.

Why software licenses are important

A software license establishes the rights of all parties involved with the software: the author, the provider and the end users. It defines the relationship between the software company and users and explains how they are protected.

How license agreements protect developers

How license agreements protect users

What are the different types of software licenses?

There are two general types of software licenses that differ based on how they are viewed under copyright law.

A more detailed list includes five types of software licenses. It makes finer distinctions among various types of open source licenses and proprietary licenses. This list includes the following:

How much does a software license cost?

The cost of a software license depends on the type of license, the type of software and the pricing model. There may be a one-time fee that gives the user ownership rights to the software program. This approach is considered the traditional way of owning software -- buying the license up front and gaining the rights to use the software indefinitely. This type of purchase agreement is known as a perpetual license.

Alternatively, the user may pay an initial fee followed by a subscription plan where payment is made at regular intervals.

License costs are often based on the number of users and devices that use the software. They may also depend on the software deployment method. Costs can increase with add-ons, upgrades, maintenance fees and other fees. Depending on these factors, software license costs can vary from free or nearly so, to many thousands of dollars.

Tracking software licenses and costs can be particularly difficult across virtualized servers, mobile devices and the cloud operations.

What does a software license agreement include?

End-user license agreements typically include basic information about the parties entering the agreement, such as full names of the parties involved, contact information and address of the parties. It also likely includes information on the following:

Software licensing and the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored some of the more serious challenges involved in managing software licenses. Many companies were not prepared for the sudden increase in demand for software licenses when their workforces went remote. They needed additional licenses for web conferencing, messaging and communications software. They also needed quick access to more security software licenses.

For many companies, this unexpected demand and expense meant they had to get creative in their approach to software licensing. Buying everyone a license for every application was not always the best answer. Instead, some organizations opted to buy licenses according to an employee's function. They also looked at shared license models, setting up portals where employees can request licenses as needed.

14 Oct 2021

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