Freeware

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Freeware is copyrighted computer software which is made available for use free of charge, for an unlimited time, as opposed to shareware where the user is required to pay (e.g. after some trial period or for additional fuctionality). Authors of freeware often want to "give something to the community", but also want credit for their software and to retain control of its future development. Sometimes when programmers decide to stop developing a freeware product, they will give the source code to another programmer or release the product's source code to the public as free software.

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The term freeware was coined by Andrew Fluegelman when he wanted to sell a communications program named PC-Talk that he had created but for which he did not wish to use traditional methods of distribution because of their cost.[1] Previously, he held a trademark on the term "freeware" but this trademark has since been abandoned. Fluegelman actually distributed PC-Talk via a process now referred to as shareware.

The only criterion for being classified as "freeware" is that the software must be made available for use for an unlimited time at no cost. The software license may impose one or more other restrictions on the type of use including personal use, individual use, non-profit use, non-commercial use, academic use, commercial use or any combination of these. For instance, the license may be "free for personal, non-commercial use." Everything created with the freeware programs can be distributed at no cost (for example graphic, documents, or sounds made by user).

There is some software which may be considered freeware, but which has limited distribution; that is, it may only be downloaded from a specific site, and cannot be redistributed. Hence, this software wouldn't be freely redistributable software. According to the basic definition, that software would be freeware; according to stricter definitions, it wouldn't be.

Freeware contrasts with free software, because of the different meanings of the word "free". Freeware is gratis and refers to zero cost, versus free software that is described as "libre", which means free to study, change, copy, redistribute, share and use the software in any purpose. However, many programs are both freeware and free software. They are available for zero cost, provide the source code and are distributed with free software permissions. This software would exclusively be called free software to avoid confusion with freeware that usually does not come with the source code and is therefore proprietary software.

There are not many variations of freeware. Freeware is not an umbrella term and does not include such loss leaders as crippleware, adware, spyware or demoware. It may include public domain software, free software and proprietary software, but never shareware when there is hidden cost to be paid to use the software. Such a cost may be having to give up part of your screen real estate in order for the program to display advertising; continually being reminded about a "pro" version of the program via nag screens; having to use the program quickly before it becomes disabled; etc. Note that there are other types of costs than monetary when describing the term "free" as in "freeware."

  1. ^ http://textfiles.fisher.hu/news/freeware.txt

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Forms of software distribution
Adware • Beerware • Careware • Crippleware • Demoware • Donationware • Donateware • Freely redistributable software • Free software • Freeware • Greenware  • Nagware • Open source • Otherware • Postcardware • Proprietary software • Ransomware • Registerware • Shareware
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