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Why Freeware Is A Solution, Not A Problem: Page 3 of 9

The "Dedication" License
There are other forms of software licensing, too. For example, the highly regarded Spybot Search And Destroy anti-spyware tool--a tool I enthusiastically recommend--ships with a form of public license that simply states: "I grant you the license to use Spybot-S&D as much as you like." There are no usage restrictions whatsoever, and that includes use in enterprises, governments, and the like. The author didn't use the Gnu Public License because he wants his software left as-is (the GPL grants rights to modify the software); so the author of SpyBot S&D crafted a license that allows for unlimited use and redistribution of his unmodified code.

The license is unusual in that it includes a personal dedication; and in that the software author accepts (but doesn't require) voluntary donations. But this quirky license is just as valid and just as binding as a dense, legalese, multipage license from Microsoft, Sun, IBM, or anyone else. You can see the full Spybot S&D license here. It's actually rather refreshing to read--a warm and human document radically different from but no less valid than conventional licensing documentation.

In short: There's no reason whatsoever for any business or government to prohibit, a priori, the use of an excellent tool like Spybot.

What About "Voluntary" Contributions?
Because a license document is legally binding on all parties, if an author says that no payment or purchase is necessary, that is in fact true whether you're installing the software on one system or 10,000. There's no catch or gotcha lurking there to trip up commercial installations.

Take the case of Spybot S&D, for example: You can use it on your own system, or post it on a corporate server and install it companywide on every PC in the enterprise; all for free. That's what the license says.