Freeware
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).
Freeware contrasts with
free software, because of the different meanings of the word "free". Freeware is
gratis, as in "free beer", and refers to zero price, versus free software that is described as "
libre", as in "free speech", which refers to the freedom 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 price, 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 many variations on the freeware model. Freeware is an
umbrella term which includes
Loss leaders (in the form of
crippleware),
adware, or
donationware.
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, "Free for personal, non-commercial use."
The freeware definition can encompass
public domain software (where the programmer has no rights to the software) or free software, and
proprietary or shareware publishing with its more restrictive licensing. Programmers who release freeware often want to "give something to the community" but also want credit for their software and to retain control of its future development. Often, when a programmer decides to stop developing a freeware product, he or she will give the source code to another programmer or release the product's source code to the public. The
free software movement would reject zero-price proprietary software as "giving something to the community".
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. 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.
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Abandonware*
Freeware games*
Otherware*
Postcardware*
Pricelessware*
Shareware* }}
