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Freeware is software offered free of charge, downloadable of the Internet. If the software requires the user to view ads while using the program, it is technically not freeware but adware. Freeware is also different from shareware in that shareware requires a payment if the software is to be used past a trial date.
Though freeware does not require financial compensation, it does have a user license or EULA (End User License Agreement). Each license is specific to the freeware it is bundled with, but some restrictions are common to most programs. For example, most freeware forbids the user to alter the program or sell it. It might allow redistribution, however, as long as the program is unchanged and the license agreement intact.
Understandably, freeware does not often come with technical support, and some programs do not have an extensive Help menu. Many freeware operators write programs in their spare time and do not have the resources to offer tech support.
Freeware has proven to be an incredible benefit to computer users since online services became popular in the late 1980s. Many talented coders report that writing handy programs is an addictive hobby. |
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