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Working licence: When a user buys or installs software, they usually agree to an end-user licence agreement (EULA),
which outlines the legal relationship between the licensor and the licensee. The EULA is a contract that allows users
to install and use the software. When installing some software, the user is often asked to click a button to agree to the
terms and conditions. For cloud-based applications, the EULA may include information such as:
• Charges per user on a monthly or annual basis.
• The duration of the agreement.
• Terms of agreement termination.
Software licences may be classified as:
1. Proprietary Licence: The users of software under proprietary licence will be able to use the software, but they do
not have access to the source code and are not authorised to modify it. Proprietary licence is also known as closed
source licence because the source code is not open to the users. Some proprietary software may be free to use, but
you cannot access the source code. For example, basic versions of the proprietary software Adobe and Grammarly
are free to use. Examples of the priced proprietary software include Windows, Mac, and Microsoft Office.
2. Free and Open Source Licence: As the name implies, free and open source licenced software is the software
with publicly available source code. Open source licence allows the user to modify the software and distribute
the modified version. Open source software is typically developed in a collaborative manner by a community of
developers. The users can submit their views on the enhancement and improvement of the software.
8.7.1 Creative Commons
Creative Commons licences give content creators a standard way to let other people use their work. It is a standard
form of a licence agreement that lets someone use a work without having to talk to the creator or negotiate terms. For
example, filmmakers can use a Creative Commons CC BY licence for their videos on YouTube. Thus, they retain their
copyright on the content that can be freely used by their users.
8.7.2 General Public License (GPL)
Under the General Public License (GPL), users can use, modify, and share the software. The following is the list of GPL
features, where users are:
• Permitted to download and use the software.
• Permitted to modify the software.
• Permitted to redistribute the software.
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