Software License Agreement: What Is It? Types and Terms - The first knowledge sharing application in Vietnam

Software license agreements protect developers and sell their services as intended. We’ve outlined everything you need to know about software license agreements and how they work in this post.

What is a Software License Agreement?

A software license agreement is a legal agreement between a developer and user. They protect their legal rights and against the unauthorized distribution of software. Businesses create these conditions to safeguard the developer’s intellectual property (IP) rights and limit potential liability for damage caused by their software.

Here is an article
that also discusses software license agreements.

What’s Included in a Software License Agreement?

The majority of businesses rely on software to expand and grow. Enterprises increasingly leverage cloud-based technologies to leverage the cloud’s critical IT infrastructure, e-commerce tools, and efficiencies.

Below, we’ve outlined nine terms typically included in a software license agreement:

Term 1. Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual property is a prized possession. If the end-user has access to or uses IP in any way, the agreement should establish who owns it, how and when they may use it, and address violations of those obligations. The developer will own the intellectual property rights to their services and impose strict license terms on customers who use those services.

Term 2. Information Security Policy

Businesses should prepare proactively for data security and privacy breaches. Privacy and data laws are stringent, and penalties for violations can be severe. It is critical that the agreement adequately addresses service providers with access to personally identifiable information’s cybersecurity obligations (PII).

Term 3. Scope

All
contracts
benefit from comprehensive and unambiguous definitions, which help avoid disputes over divergent interpretations. However, establishing clear explanations can be tricky, even more so in the context of development. Ensure that you get as detailed in your software licenses agreement as necessary.

Term 4. Limitations of Liability

Service providers will always seek to limit their liability. Along with reducing their exposure, liability limitations provide developers with greater certainty regarding unforeseen future costs. Caps on liability are a widely used method of limiting liability as well.

Term 5. Warranty Exclusions

Agreements often include
warranties
and limitations to balance the developer and the customer, providing each with the reasonable protection they seek. Service providers generally prefer to limit their warranties as well. Things happen, and customers frequently have unreasonable expectations for customizable or third-party software, which means it’s essential to prepare beforehand.

Term 6. Project Governance

End-users should seek to include a right to notice in their agreement in the event of a delay, particularly if the service provider asserts that the customer is to blame. Doing so ensures that the developer cannot permit delays without informing the customer and vice versa.

Term 7. Pricing and Payment Terms

Negotiating a breakdown of the service provider’s fees according to the specific deliverables performed benefits both parties. Additionally, they can agree on fixed rates. This point appeals to suppliers and customers alike, especially those seeking price certainty.

Term 8. Term Limits

The duration of any agreement is typically one of the most critical terms. Since cloud products and services do not have the same shelf life as traditional products and services, customers feel more comfortable committing for extended periods. Additionally, the length of the initial term, renewal periods, price increases, and each party’s termination rights are relevant.

Term 9. Open-Source Disclosures

Open source benefits both software developers and customers by reducing development time and costs. Providers of open source services should provide information to customers and demonstrate compliance with open source terms.

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Purpose of a Software License Agreement

Software developers release software for various reasons, including demonstrating a new concept, benefiting the most significant number of people possible, or for financial and economic gain. To prevent unwanted and unlawful activity, you must clearly define the
terms and conditions
for users.

Here are seven purposes of a software license agreement

Purpose 1

. Define where users can install your software
Purpose 2

. Limit the number of end-user and device installations
Purpose 3

. Express how users can engage with your software
Purpose 4

. Allow or prevent copies, modifications, or redistributions
Purpose 5

. Communicate applicable copyright safeguards
Purpose 6

. Outline software ownership
Purpose 7

. Impose a duration of the agreement’s terms

Software licenses contain the entirety of the agreement between the licensor and the
licensee
. The objective is to clarify the relationship from both a legal and technical standpoint. There are no surprises or guesses about who is responsible for what during the agreement term.

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Types of Software Licenses

There are five primary categories or types of
software licenses
. These cover a wide variety of licensing scenarios, ranging from free software to commercial software. You should become familiar with your options that go beyond
end-user license agreements
,
software maintenance agreements
,
sublicense agreements
, and
SaaS agreements
.

Below, we’ve outlined the five types of software agreements used most commonly by developers and software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers:

Type 1. Public Domain Licenses

Without restriction, anyone may use and modify public domain license software. This “permissive” license permits the incorporation of the code into applications or projects and the repurposing of the software. Businesses must exercise caution when utilizing public domain software in projects or other mission-critical applications.

Type 2. GNU/Lesser General Public Licenses

Developers who use an LGPL license have the right to include open source libraries in their software. When creating projects with an LGPL-licensed library, they may license the code under any other license. The exception to this standard is that when any portion is copied or modified, the terms of the original license will apply to the developed code sourced from the library.

Type 3. Permissive Licenses

This license is one of the most prevalent types of open-source software licenses. A permissive license imposes few restrictions or requirements on the distribution and modification of the software. Permissive licenses vary in the requirements for preserving license notices and
copyright
for the software, how they may use it,
trademark
requirements, and other stipulations.

Type 4. Copyleft Licenses

The terms of a copyleft license are restrictive. Under a copyleft, users can modify licensed code as part of a software project as long as they distribute the new version under the same software license as the original code. If the code was intended solely for personal use, the new product must use the same designation.

Type 5. Proprietary Licenses

Proprietary software licenses make it unlawful to copy, modify, or distribute applications. This type is the most restrictive since they safeguard the developer or owner against unauthorized use. Software licensing agreement lawyers can help you negotiate and draft a proprietary license that prevents unlawful practices.

Why You Need a Software License Agreement

As a software developer, you’ve almost certainly invested a significant amount of time and money developing the software you’re licensing. You’re probably also counting on it to generate revenue for you as a result. That is where a license agreement for software comes into play.

Below are the five reasons why it’s essential to get a software license agreement:

Reason 1

. It guards against software abuse
Reason 2

. It enables you to license it rather than selling it
Reason 3

. It allows you to mitigate warranty claims
Reason 4

. It may serve to limit your liability
Reason 5

. It will enable you to discontinue unauthorized use

As you can see, there are several essential functions that software license agreements fulfill.
Technology lawyers
can help you draft and execute your agreements while protecting your legal rights.

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