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08-13-2006, 07:47 AM
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#1 | | Programmer by Grace
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,318
 | Licensing
What exactly is there to licensing a shareware app? I mean, what is there todo besides releasing the app with a copy of the license and saying it's shareware? Thanks. | 
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08-13-2006, 07:54 AM
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#2 | | Custom User
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 3,942
| Quote: | Originally Posted by I love my mom What exactly is there to licensing a shareware app? I mean, what is there todo besides releasing the app with a copy of the license and saying it's shareware? Thanks. |
Not much else. Put shareware restrictions in the app, and a page saying its shareware. It only gets real complicated if you go into OSS, but thats for another thread. On that page, you might also mention that the shareware license (which is agreed to when you enter the app) prohibits you from reverse engineering or decompiling the app, if you want to put that. Its not required.
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Brad Green - Enthusiast Extraordinaire...
Sony TG-50, Sony TH-55, Palm TX...TH-55 still the best
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08-13-2006, 10:06 AM
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#3 | | Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,853
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08-13-2006, 12:28 PM
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#4 | | Programmer by Grace
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,318
| Wow Thanks guys. After reading your blog thing, you don't think it's a good idea to sell the software myself? Makes much more sense, and I would only be losing 20% with Mobi Hand. Thanks Again! | |
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08-14-2006, 07:34 AM
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#5 | | Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,853
| Hi,
as said...Mobihand makes marketing easier.
Once your name is D.G. or AstraWare, have fun closing shop with them...but until then, better wait IMHO | |
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08-21-2006, 04:39 PM
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#6 | | Programmer by Grace
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,318
| Could anyone direct me to the official shareware site, or, somewhere that I can read the license and download a copy for my app? Can't seem to find anything like this. Thanks | |
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08-22-2006, 06:37 PM
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#7 | | Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,853
| Hi,
you need to create and write a licence of your own, at least thats what I did. The licence, IMHO, is only waste paper though...I have never ever heard of a lawsuit in the Palm OS shareware scene yet...
Look at licences from products for suggestions! | |
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08-23-2006, 06:54 AM
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#8 | | Programmer by Grace
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,318
| ah man... this means another three nights of long licensing... | |
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08-23-2006, 08:28 AM
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#9 | | Custom User
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 3,942
| Here, ill write it for you.
MLL license 1.0 (Mom Loving License)
This application is shareware. This means you are free to try it for the trial period, after which it will become inoperable. You may not reverse engineer or decompile any portions of this program for any reason without my explicit written permission. You may also not alter the program in any way to bypass trial requirements put in place in software. This is a violation of the DMCA (just use some stupid basic encryption, like substitution cypher, and breaking it is a DMCA violation), and could result in criminal prosecution. You are free to install this program on one device with the key you were given at purchase. Dont break any of these agreements, or I will be forced to stop making useful software!
See how easy that was? Made that up off the top of my head. Alternately, I would recommend reading some licenses from Alex Pruss' programs (Fontsmoother, MySkin, etc). He seems to be the local expert on copyright law, and I would bet those licenses are well written.
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Brad Green - Enthusiast Extraordinaire...
Sony TG-50, Sony TH-55, Palm TX...TH-55 still the best
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08-23-2006, 01:22 PM
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#10 | | Coder in training
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Herts, England
Posts: 239
| My two cents,
Throw a GPL in there, release the source code and all is right with the world...
Alternatively; if you like eating, warm fires in the winter, and just generally having money, go for the LGPL, which is somewhat more limiting than the GPL, and if i remember correctly it doesn't rely on the release of your source code.
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08-23-2006, 07:34 PM
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#11 | | Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: in the world...
Posts: 1,384
| The major factor regarding shareware is some sort of time based limitation on the software itself. 30 days is the common (?) length. This allows for testing of the software and testing to ensure compatibility with other software on your device.
I would like to recommend steering clear of 7 day limitations or limitations in functionality, as proper testing is not allowed for timewise/featurewise.
The license (document) is important, but not many people will probably bother to read it.
Do agree with Veritech, GPL is a great route to go, although that isn't what you are looking for.
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Thanks,
bh
CLIE TJ27, Tungsten E(1), TX, CLIE TH55/U
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08-24-2006, 08:58 AM
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#12 | | Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,853
| Hi,
worst case, copy mine!
As for trial, I found that 14 day works very well... | |
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08-24-2006, 03:29 PM
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#13 | | Custom User
Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 3,942
| The type of program is of all importance in deciding trial length. An essential program, such as a medical app for a med student only needs a trial long enough to allow compatability testing. Non essential, but extremely useful programs, like ZLauncher, allow a one month trial period, which is great for them because you are hooked by the time it ends.
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Brad Green - Enthusiast Extraordinaire...
Sony TG-50, Sony TH-55, Palm TX...TH-55 still the best
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08-24-2006, 08:38 PM
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#14 | | Programmer by Grace
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,318
| Yes, well, for the game i'm doing...
Actually I would like your opinion on something. Before my actual release, I was thinking of doing a public beta, which would just have an unannounced expiration date. Good idea or no? I know I have to go through beta stages, just tryin to figure out how.
As for licensing, I don't think it will be too bad. Licenses I was thinking of are the ones that are like 100 pages long that you get when you install software. No just a simple shareware thing like that. Thanks for all the help guys!
Howdy Ho!
Luke | |
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