Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure.12 1
A typical End User License Agreement (EULA).
Product Activation
During installation, some products require you not only to agree to the terms and conditions, but also to enter
a license code or key to activate the product. This key can be sent by email as part of the registration process.
Alternatively, it could be provided on a printed card as part of a physical software package.
Many products, particularly the more expensive ones like Microsoft Office, also require online activation. This
calls for an active Internet connection. Online activation adds the license key to a database of active licenses,
maintained by the software vendor. This prevents someone from using the same code again to license the soft-
ware more than once, thus breaking the terms of the single user license. This figure shows the result of an online
activation.
Types of.Software and Licensing
Software may be released either as proprietary software or as open-source
software.
Proprietary software
is software you can use but do not own.
The vendor retains ownership; you simply have the right to use one
or more copies of the software after purchasing it and agreeing to the
EULA. The source code used in this type of software is kept private.
That is, users are not permitted to access and/or change the code.
proprietary software
Software to which the
vendor retains ownership rights. Users merely have
usage rights.
