Development of new works based upon the licensed software is not allowed without the permission of the copyright holder. Selling software as shareware is a marketing approach and does not change the legal requirements with respect to copyright. Shareware purchasers are authorized to make and distribute copies of the software to others, but anyone who adopts the software for use is required to pay for it. ProComm 2.4.2, the CRC-supported communications software, falls into the shareware category. The distribution conditions for freeware are in direct opposition to normal copyright conditions in that freeware licenses generally stipulate that copies of the software can be made for both archival and distribution purposes as long as distribution is not for profit.
Freeware includes many desk accessories and utilities.
The only type of software that can be freely copied and distributed is public domain software, which comes into being when the original copyright holder explicitly relinquishes all rights to the software. Game software on public bulletin boards fall into this category. It is your responsibility as an individual software user, network administrator, or lab manager to be able to prove compliance with software copyright laws. The following guidelines are provided to assist you. Keep a log of all software that is purchased, and store original disks and licensing agreements in a logical order in a safe location.