Bits'n'Bytes

As heard on CJCD

Episode 6

Good morning, and welcome to this week's installment of Bits 'n' Bytes - brought to you by Bowco Computer Services.

Continuing last weeks topic of copying software programs, some users I've met have said to me: "Well, I bought the CD, so now it's mine and I should be able to put it on any computer I want!"

Unfortunately, this isn't really the way it goes. The CD itself is yours and you can put it on any one computer you want. You can do whatever you want with it, including playing frisbee. But, I have to tell them, "You only bought one license to use it." This is where I get the blank stare and the inevitable "Huh?"

Think of it along the lines of buying a license plate for your car. You buy it and put it on your car. A few years later, you buy a new car, so you apply to have the license transferred to you new car. You take it off the old one and put it on the new one. You can't use the same license plate on two cars. If you want to be able to use both cars, you have to buy two licenses. Same thing with a computer program or an operating system. It's copywrite protected, which means if you want to use it on two computers, you have to buy two licenses.

There are two other types of software which don't have this limitation. They are called shareware and freeware. Shareware programs are distributed for free, with the option to buy, so you can put them on any computer at any time - for a given length of time. Once the free time runs out, you either have to delete it, or buy it - just like a standard software package. Freeware is just that - free. Put it on as many computers as you like for as long as you like. Just be aware that a lot of freeware programs will come with some type of adware program. This is the program developer's way of making his money. He gives it away to you for free, and collects money from the advertisers, instead. Many of these adware programs have become a big headache and can be expensive to get rid of.

Stay tuned next week for “What you should know about adware and spyware."

I’m Computer Dave, thanks for your time.