Frequently Asked Questions - Broadcast 25th June 2009: software licenses

In the shop it might look like you will buy a legal copy, but often it is an illegal copy. The best check for a valid license is done by comparing prices with the official shops. If it is much cheaper somewhere, then it is probably an illegal copy. Also, you can often see it by looking at the quality of the cd cover, and the way the cd looks. Real cd's have a fine print in the surface, illegal copies often have no print, or a print/sticker which lies on top of the cd. 

Well, in the worst case the police might come and give you a fine or lock you up in jail. This does happen at businesses who use illegal software licenses. In any way, you are stealing from the person or company who created the software, by buying and using an illegal copy. Don't think they do not check this in Tanzania. We know of cases were people were fined for this. 

When you want to install a software program like Windows on your computer, then you have to accept the license terms they state (on the screen or on the cd). And you can not just say Yes, you must also follow the rules they set. One of these rules is “you may only use this software if you have bought an official copy.”, and another rule is “you are not allowed to copy the software”. These rules are set because the software companies want to make a profit on the things they produce. They can only make a profit if they sell a whole lot of copies, because creating a program like Windows takes an incredible effort. If people would just copy the software themselves, then the author would not make any money, and software writers would run out of a job. 

A software license is an agreement between the user (you) and the software company. Just like with a book, the writer of the software has copyright on what he/she wrote. Simply said: You are not allowed to copy a book someone else has written, and go sell those copies in a shop. The same rules apply to software. This rule is called the “copyright law”, which almost every country in the world has and respects. 

Software is a computer program. It is also called “software programs”. For example Windows and Internet Explorer. These software programs are made by large companies like Google, Adobe and Microsoft. There are also a lot of small companies that make software, sometimes for very specific purposes.