Beerware
Beerware is a licensing model for software .
definition
Beerware shares most of the license conditions with those of freeware : The distribution of the licensed program is permitted, but the copyright remains with the author. Changing the program is allowed. While the use of freeware is generally free of charge, the author of Beerware asks the user depending on the individual license
- to give the author a beer or
- to drink a beer to the benefit of the author or
- to send the author an original beer mat.
Compliance with this licensing provision occurs on a voluntary basis and can usually not be enforced for technical reasons.
John Bristor is considered to be the originator of the expression. The first programs using the Beerware license model appeared around 1987.
The full text of the license in the version used by Poul-Henning Kamp is:
/* * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- * "THE BEER-WARE LICENSE" (Revision 42): * <phk@FreeBSD.ORG> wrote this file. As long as you retain this notice you * can do whatever you want with this stuff. If we meet some day, and you think * this stuff is worth it, you can buy me a beer in return Poul-Henning Kamp * ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
Approximate German translation:
/* * ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * "THE BEER-WARE LICENSE" (Revision 42): * <phk@FreeBSD.ORG> schrieb diese Datei. Solange Sie diesen Vermerk nicht entfernen, können * Sie mit dem Material machen, was Sie möchten. Wenn wir uns eines Tages treffen und Sie * denken, das Material ist es wert, können Sie mir dafür ein Bier ausgeben. Poul-Henning Kamp * ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
Other, similarly stored license models are:
- Careware (donate money to a good cause or a charitable organization )
- Chocolateware (send the author a chocolate bar )
- Emailware ( email the author )
- Linkware (requests a link to the author's website if you use it or if you like it )
- Postcardware or Cardware (send the author a postcard )
Individual evidence
- ^ Poul-Henning Kamp: UNIX guru at large. Retrieved February 27, 2019 .