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Re: Web services are NOT freeware.
de Roger Johansson 01/20/2007 03:51
Susan Bugher wrote:
> FYI the current *ACF* definition of Freeware is here:
> http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/WareGlossary.php
> "Freeware: Legally obtainable software that you may use at no cost,
> monetary or otherwise, for as long as you wish."
I think about a program called Nasa World Wind and google maps.
You download a small program but it has to be in contact with a host
program on a big computer to work. The big computer sends data to your
computer for the area you are coming near so the small client program
on your computer can show you a view.
Is that an "obtainable" program or webware?
It seems to me that the borderline between "webware" and "obtainable"
software becomes increasingly impossible to determine ecactly.
An antivirus program must be in contact with a main computer every day
to update the client, is that a webservice or an obtainable program?
Two chessplayers are playing over the net via a central chess computer
center, are they using a web service or an obtainable program?
If we remove the word obtainable from the definition the rule becomes
simpler:
"Freeware: Software that you may legally use at no cost, monetary or
otherwise, for as long as you wish."
The word "obtainable" had a meaning in an era when you bought a program
in a shop, went home and used it on your computer. And that computer
was not attached to a giant network covering the whole world all the
time.
Today the word "obtainable" causes problems, because we use many
programs which only partly run on our own computer.
I cannot obtain the Avira antivir program because I cannot afford it.
It is located somewhere in Germany and probably costs billions of euros
to buy.
I can use a small client program for free which is connected to the
real antivir program which is running in Germany.
--
Roger J.