Re: Building An Apple ][ Software Archive

["Arkain" <rwking@usa.nospam.net>]

You and Paul seem to be having so much fun doing research on these terms
that I dare not deprive you of your fun. The truth is actually 1/2 way
between the 2 of you.

Public Domain Software:
This is software that is not copyrighted by anyone. Any previously existing
copyrights on such software have been released by the owner. Anyone is free
to redistribute or even "embrace & extend" (classic M$ tactics) such works.

Freeware:
Freeware refers to software for which the redistribution rights have been
released to the public domain. There is no guarantee that the work is also
uncopyrighted. More often than not, the work is copyrighted and is as such,
NOT entirely public domain. This is not to say that there are no
uncopyrighted freeware works.

In other words...

Public domain software is always freeware.
Freeware is not always public domain.

Public domain software is 1 category of freeware.

Arkain


"Frank Townsend" <ftownsen@iamdigex.net> wrote in message
news:FWRA5.834$j13.84788@dca1-nnrp2.news.digex.net...
> <sigh>
>
> I did look . . .
> *
> I found a few people who used the goofy phrase in the last sentence of
> *this* extract:
>
> Linkname: Dolphin Smalltalk 2.1 Third Party Downloads
> URL: http://www.object-arts.com/Downloads/ThirdParty/2.1/Downloads.htm
>
> /\/\
>
> QuickCode - QuickCode.zip(8K) [Updated 13th May 1998]
> QuickCode is . . . . is public domain freeware and � Bill Schwab 1997.
>
> \/\/
>
> Australia adds this equally odd construction:
>
> Linkname: Software Copyright Protection Guideline  Commerce and Trade
> Western Australia
> URL:
>
http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/dct/oic/ipcdocs/guidelines/guide3-1.html#right
> s
>
> /\/\
>
> For example, the owner may give the copyright free, perhaps by declaring
in
> writing that others may use it without charge, thereby making it public
> domain software (freeware).
>
> \/\/
>
> I don't know about you, but it looks to me as if neither of these authors
> are quite sure of the issues.
>
> Your preference as I understand it (if I may be so bold) is to use the
term
> freeware as a superset that includes "copyrighted freeware," and public
> domain software that is available for free, both as subsets.
>
> It just seems to me that this nomenclature blurs two dissimilar concepts
by
> using the price qualifier.  Like categorizing tomatoes and apples as "red
> fruit"  (pardon the pun ;-))
>
> But, no matter.  As Humpty said, "there's glory for you."  <g>
>
>
> "Paul Schlyter" <pausch@saafNOSPAM.se> wrote in message
> news:8r0e1g$sgd$1@merope.saaf.se...
>
>
> > OK --- the next time I have enough spare time, I'll look up an equal
> > number of web sites which defines freeware as including PD stuff.  I'm
> > quite positive it's out there somewhere, and not just in the Jargon
file..
>
>
>