Asked By
saydieryl
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Posted on - 08/09/2011
In some cases, you are given unlimited use of software on one or two computers. In other cases, you pay for your usage. Are there laws that govern this?
Issues and Trends: Assessing Software Risks
Hello Saydieryl
The answer to your question is a big "yes". Of course some software is "unlimited" –  we can install and use it on any number of computers. That's what we called freeware.
Licensed software, on the other hand, are protected by the law. If you try to copy or pirate such software, you are liable to be prosecuted. This is supported by patents and copyright law, the consequences of which differ in every state.
Hope this helps
Issues and Trends: Assessing Software Risks
I guess you are referring to free software or freeware and commercial software. Computer applications or software are protected by law against piracy. Distributing or using pirated versions of software is punishable by law and can result to heavy monetary penalties if proven. This applies to commercial programs which require licenses before they can be used. A good example of a commercial software is Microsoft Windows.
It is a computer operating system that is very popular in terms of being pirated. Hackers tend to modify the software so that when a user installs it on the computer, it appears like a genuine system and will not ask for activation. By default, an unregistered copy of Microsoft Windows will only run for 30 days. After that, it will force you to activate it.
There are commercial software that are only usable if you purchase a license key. There are also some that are offered with a trial period. This means you can use the software with its full functions and features for a certain amount of time. After the trial period has expired, it will stop working and will require you to register it to continue using it.
Of course, registering the product means paying for the software. Freeware is the type of application that can be used for free without paying for a license. Normally, freeware applications are only small programs.
