Software Copyright

Module A06c

What is Involved in Developing Software?
Need to Repay the Effort
Copying Microcomputer Software
Major Types of Software Licenses

Typical Commercial Licenses

Operating Systems

Educational Software

Responsibilities of Educational Institutions

Shareware

Freeware

Audience and Objectives
About this document... Wherever you see this separator line in a Web browser, clicking on it will return you to the Contents.

What is Involved in Developing Software?

Why should we care about software copyright? Doesn't it ust help smart people get richer? To understand why it matters, let's take a look at what's involved in developing software.

Typical programmer's training: Minimum 2 years college; many jobs require a MS in Computer Science.
Design, coding, testing, and debugging: 2-3 yrs. typical
Complexity in "simple" software (Word processor, spreadsheet...)
The overall cost of software development: Much more than hardware!

Need to Repay the Effort

Programmers have a right to live ... and a need to repay their college loans!
Competition in software development: risky business. We hear about the success stories, but seldom do we hear the sad stories.

Many startup software companies have failed.
Even popular software developers have gone bankrupt because of software theft.

Copying Microcomputer Software

It is often very easy to copy software
Software thieves... may not know they are thieves!

Any time someone makes a copy of a program to run on another computer, whether for themselves or for others, they may be violating the law.
End User License Agreements (EULAs) determine what's allowed

But users have rights too:

Using software without a hassle on their hard disk or new computer
Keeping a backup copy in case disk is ruined

Software developers' mechanical defenses: these all make it difficult (not impossible) to run illegal copies

Copy protected disks: rely on non-standard methods of copying. When a disk is illegally copied, the program will not run.
Huge programs that come on CD-ROMs
Device keys ("dongles") that must be attached to a computer before the software will run

The user rebellion of the mid to late 1980s

Especially with hard disks, users complained about copy protection. The complaints from large companies were effective
Many software companies gave up on copy-protected disks: it became expensive to keep ahead
For every way to copy-protect, there is a way around it: Many "copy-busting" programs became available, enabling thieves to easily copy protected software

Software is covered by Federal Copyright law, like books and movies.

So: illegal copying is a Federal offense
Most software developers now invest in legal, rather than mechanical protection
Software Publishers' Association (SPA) an industry group that does investigation and legal prosecution of software copyright violation
Types of license vary... Read yours!

Major Types of Licenses

Although licenses vary, it's worthwhile to know what the different types of licenses usually look like. There are five major classes:

Commercial
Operating system
Educational
Shareware
Freeware

Typical Commercial Licenses

A commercial license is one which comes with software you buy commercially. You may buy the software at a store, though a mail order catalog, or it may come with a new computer you've bought. Remember...you need to read the provisions!

Use:	On only one machine at a time
Copies:	At least one for backup; some allow up to 5
Friends:	Making copies for friends is strictly forbidden

Operating Systems

Operating systems - like Windows, DOS, Mac OS, Unix, or OS/2 - are the programs that allow a computer to operate on a day-to-day basis. Remember - you need to read the provisions of the license!

Use:	On only one machine ever
Copies:	As many as necessary for one machine
Friends:	Making copies for friends is strictly forbidden

Educational Software

Educational software is software you get because of your status as a student or staff member at a school or college. Remember - you need to read the provisions!

Use:

On only with the purchase of either

a particular textbook, or
special license

How you use the software may be limited:

You may only be able to type in a small number of pages, rows, or data records
There may be a printed notice on each page saying, "This is educational software"

Copies:

One per student, or one per lab computer

Friends:

Making copies for friends is strictly forbidden

Responsibilities of Educational Institutions

While we're talking about education and software, let's talk about the reponsibilities schools and colleges have.

Educational institutions must follow the law just as individuals must
They must inform students about copyright

For individual pieces of software
In general, in writing in lab setting

Shareware

Shareware is copyrighted software with a different marketing approach. Rather than pay advertising costs, they encourage people to give copies to one another. BUT if those individuals decide to use the software, they are expected to pay a registration fee.

Use:	Free for a trial period. Registration is encouraged by: Reminder messages on the screen Limited documentation Limited support Program stops running after a certain date
Copies:	As many as are needed (but if used on more than one computer, one resgstration per computer is requested)
Friends:	Making copies for friends is strongly encouraged! (That's how shareware is sold.)

Freeware

Freeware is software that can be freely copied by individuals. There are two types:

Software in the public domain: specifically un-copyrighted
Copyrighted software that specifically says individuals may use it for free, and freely make copies for others.

In either case, you need to see a specific message saying it can be distributed freely. Copyright law does not required a notice of copyright (though most owners use the symbol for added protection). All "intellectual" material, including software, is authomatically copyrighted.

Use:	In many cases, priviate individuals may use freeware freely, but organizations are required to pay a fee
Copies:	Individuals may make as many copies as they like
Friends:	Making copies for friends is fine

Audience:

This is for anybody who wants to use a computer. Only basic vocabulary is expected (see module G01c "Basic Computer Vocabulary".)

Objectives

When you successfully complete this lesson, you will know...
Generally:
The effort required to produce software; the five general types of licensing: commercial, operating system, educational, shareware, freeware; and the legal responsibilities of users of each type.

Specifically:

The time, training, and expense necessary to develop software
The need to recompense those who do the development
The ease of copying most software
Provisions of standard commercial software licenses
The limitations imposed by copy protection schemes
Operating systems on microcomputers
Two types of educational licenses: limited facility and limited time
Responsibilities of educational institutions
The shareware idea: how it works
Freeware, and how to recognize it

About this document...

Module A06c: Software Copyright

See also: A05c "Computer users Guide to Copyright" for more legal details.
Review:

a06cr.txt

Author:: Laurence J. Krieg
Institution:: Department of Computer Information Systems, Washtenaw Community College

Revision History:

Original: 2 April 1988

Revised HTML version: 26 October 1997; added review 23 Feb 1999

Instructors: You may point to this file in your Web-based materials.
Students: you may make a copy for your personal use.
All other uses: contact the author, Laurence J. Krieg for permission.