Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
to the future development and improvement of the application. OSs such as Linux and
applications like OpenOffi ce.org fi t this category. Open source software can't be sold,
although it can be bundled with commercial products that are sold.
Shareware
This is software that provides a free trial, with the expectation that you'll pay
for it if you like it and decide to keep it. In some cases, a shareware version isn't the full
product; in other cases, it expires after a certain amount of time. Some shareware provides
a full and unlimited version, with payment requested on the honor system.
Multiuser
This is commercial software that you're allowed to install on more than one
computer. For example, some versions of Microsoft Offi ce allow you to install the same
copy on two or three PCs.
Single User
This is commercial software for which the license restricts installation to a
single PC. A common misconception is that a single-user license allows you to install the
software on more than one computer as long as you use only one instance at a time, but
that's not accurate. Commercial products sometimes have activation systems that lock the
software to a specifi c PC once installed, so you can't install it elsewhere.
Concurrent
This is a license that allows the software to be installed on many PCs but
used concurrently by a smaller number. For example, you may have 1,000 computers with
the application installed, but only 100 users can use it simultaneously. This is useful in
situations where everyone needs to have an application available, but the application gets
very little actual use.
Corporate, Campus, or Site
This is a license that permits an organization to install the
application on an agreed-upon number of PCs. For example, a school may buy a site license
of an antivirus program and allow all students to download and install it freely to ensure
that the school's network remains virus-free.
Registering Software
Registering software—that is, providing your contact information to the software maker—isn't
usually required, but software makers try to make you believe it's in your best interest to do
so. In actuality, it's a trade-off. Yes, companies want to collect your personal information for
marketing purposes, and yes, they may sell it to a third party. However, if you register, you
may be eligible for discounts on new versions, free updates, and other goodies.
Activating Software
Some products, especially expensive ones that are frequently pirated, include activation
features that lock the installed copy (by installation key code) to a particular PC, so you
can't use it on multiple PCs.
In a nutshell, here's how it works. The software company maintains an online database
of all the installation key codes. When you install the software, you're prompted to activate
it. (Usually you have 30 days to do so, or a certain number of uses, before it stops working.)
The activation program examines the hardware on your system (processor, motherboard
model, and so on) and generates a code that describes the general state of the hardware. It
then sends that code to the activation server online. If you try to activate the software on a
