Enforcing Copyright Requires Licensing

• Software can be license by owners to:
  • Other programmers (licenses that allow modification and distribution)
  • End-users (limited rights, aka EULA)

Types of Software Licenses

1. Freeware, open-source
   Freeware is for software aimed to be distributed freely; and open source also provides the source code. These types of licenses can cause viral distribution and modification. Many popular frameworks and platforms use this model. It also allows public scrutiny against possible weaknesses.
2. Closed-source, proprietary
   Commercial entities working with clients usually select to hide and protect software for competitive reasons. Hidden weaknesses in the code may take a while to find and when they are exposed, can be difficult to fix.

Contents of Licenses

• Based on the copyright or copy-left protection option selected for your project
• Need to come up with a license document that specifies how others can use your product
• License may need to specify:
  • Type of user (e.g., end user versus developer who wants to adopt and distribute)
  • Any conditions (e.g., put credits before distribution)
  • Commercial use (allowed vs forbidden)

How to Select a License for Your Project

1. For open source licenses, see list on Wikipedia. A common and easy method is to use the Creative Commons licenses.
2. For proprietary licenses, there are many types. There are also license generators such as BinPress.

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