Title: About Software Licenses
Course: CIS 121: Linux/UNIX I: Fundamentals ~ For IGNITE Review > Section: Learning Modules

There are two predominant software paradigms: Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and proprietary software. The criteria for differentiation between these two approaches is based on control over the software. With proprietary software, control tends to lie more with the vendor, while with Free and Open Source Software it tends to be more weighted towards the end user. But even though the paradigms differ, they use the same copyright laws to reach and enforce their goals. From a legal perspective, Free and Open Source Software can be considered as software to which users generally receive more rights via their license agreement than they would have with a proprietary software license, yet the underlying license mechanisms are the same.

Legal theory states that the author of FOSS, contrary to the author of public domain software, has in no way whatsoever given up his rights on his work. FOSS supports on the rights of the author (the copyright) to impose FOSS license conditions. The FOSS license conditions need to be respected by the user in the same way as proprietary license conditions. Always check your license carefully before you use third party software.

Source: Linux Fundamentals, by Paul Cobbaut, It-2.o, Published Thu 01 Aug 2013 01:0:39 CEST, Copyright 2007-2013 Betsec BVBA, Paul Cobbaut

Three basic licensing terms you should know.

- Copyright
- Patents
- Trademarks