Editing Software license (section)

== Software copyright ==
{{main|Software copyright}}
{{Computing law}}
The [[source code]] (or compiled binaries in the form of [[object code]]){{sfn|Boyle|2003|p=45}} of a [[computer program]] is protected by [[copyright law]] that vests the owner with the exclusive right to copy the code. The underlying ideas or algorithms are not protected by copyright law, but are often treated as a [[trade secret]] and concealed by such methods as [[non-disclosure agreement]]s.{{sfn|O'Regan|2022|pp=394-396}} Software copyright has been recognized since the mid-1970s and is vested in the company that makes the software, not the employees or [[Independent contracting in the United States|contractor]]s who wrote it.{{sfn|O'Regan|2022|p=403}} 

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Software licenses and rights granted in context of the copyright according to [[Mark Webbink]].<ref name="redhat2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.redhat.com/f/summitfiles/presentation/May31/Open%20Source%20Dynamics/Troan_OpenSourceProprietyPersp.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122163130/http://www.redhat.com/f/summitfiles/presentation/May31/Open%20Source%20Dynamics/Troan_OpenSourceProprietyPersp.pdf|archive-date=2014-01-22 |year=2005 |access-date=2015-12-29 |title=Open Source from a Proprietary Perspective |author=Larry Troan |work=[[RedHat]] Summit 2006 [[Nashville]] |pages=10 |publisher=redhat.com}}</ref> Expanded by freeware and sublicensing.
|-
! scope="col" | [[License|Rights granted]]
! scope="col" | [[Public domain software|Public domain]] and [[Public-domain-equivalent license|equivalent]]
! scope="col" | [[Permissive license|Permissive]] [[Free and open-source software|FOSS]] license (e.g. [[BSD license]])
! scope="col" | [[Copyleft license|Copyleft]] FOSS license (e.g. [[GPL]])
! scope="col" | [[Freeware]] / [[Shareware]] / [[Freemium]]
! scope="col" | [[Proprietary software|Proprietary license]]
! scope="col" | [[Trade secret]]
|-
| [[Copyright]] retained || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}
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| [[Performing rights|Right to perform]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
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| Right to display || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
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| Right to copy || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{maybe|Often}} || {{no}} || {{no|Lawsuits are filed by the owner against copyright infringement the most}}
|-
| [[Derivative works|Right to modify]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{no}}
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| Right to distribute || {{yes}} || {{maybe|Yes, under same license}} || {{maybe|Yes, under same license}} || {{maybe|Often}} || {{no}} || {{no}}
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| Right to sublicense || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||  {{no}} || {{no}} ||  {{no}} || {{no}}
|-
| Example software || [[SQLite]], [[ImageJ]] || [[Apache web server]], [[ToyBox]] || [[Linux kernel]], [[GIMP]], [[Open Broadcaster Software|OBS]]  || [[Irfanview]], [[Winamp]] || [[Windows]], the majority of commercial video games and their [[Digital rights management|DRMs]], [[Spotify]], [[xSplit]], [[Tidal (service)|TIDAL]]|| Server-side<br>[[Cloud computing]] programs and services,<br> forensic applications, and other line-of-business work.
|-
|}