Question

Proprietary software (like Microsoft Windows or Apple iOS) requires you to accept a license before you can use the software: what does this license do for you? What does the license do for the company issuing the license to you? Is open-source software (like linux) covered by a license that you must also accept?

Answer 1

A software license is a legal instrument that governs how the software can be used and distributed. When you download or install software, you are asked to agree to the terms of a license. If you are like most computer users, you probably don't read the entire license in any detail.

Software is generally copyright protected, unless it is specifically made available in the public domain. A typical license grants a user permission to use one or more copies of the software without copyright infringement.

Proprietary software consists of software that is licensed by the copyright holder under very specific conditions. In general, you can use the software, but you are not allowed to modify the software or distribute it to others.

The original source code for the software is not available, which means you can't see the actual code written by the programmers. Proprietary software is, therefore, also referred to as closed-source software. This is done on purpose to protect the intellectual property invested in software development. If the source code were released, even with copyright restrictions, competitors could benefit from using this code.

Open-source software, as the name suggests, is software for which the source code is released. This means that users can look at exactly how the software was created using one or more programming languages. This is done on purpose so that anyone can benefit from using the code. A typical license for open-source software gives users the right to modify and distribute the software.

Open-source software is typically free to use, which has led to the use of the term free and open-source software, or FOSS. This acronym is widely used, but many people use 'FOSS' and 'open-source software' interchangeably.

Open-source software is often developed in a collaborative manner, where many users contribute to ongoing improvements. Typically, a user community maintains a website where the latest version of the software can be obtained and where users can share ideas on how to use and improve the software.