View Source: Proprietary - Waikato Linux Users Group

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Usually a synonym for ClosedSource, it means the opposite of open or [Free].

Do not confuse [Proprietary] software with commercial software. A company can be making money from [Free] software, which is thus commercial. On the other hand, non-commercial software may still be [Proprietary]: this is called freeware (not to be confused with FreeSoftware).

[Proprietary] software is distributed in BinaryExecutable form under a restrictive license. Where SourceCode is available, if at all, it is..
* almost always charged for
* often only available to specific customers
* almost always forbids any modification at all, even for in-house use of the customer only.
[Proprietary] software leaves you at the mercy of its vendor regarding support and the pricing thereof, availability and cost of upgrades and so on.

Of course, not only software can be [Free], hence the opposite also applies more generally. MicrosoftOffice file formats, for example, do not follow open standards and are undocumented; thus, they too are [Proprietary].

[Hacker]s generally sneer at anything [Proprietary].

13 pages link to Proprietary:

Last edited on Thursday, August 11, 2005 8:34:06 am by AdrianKitto

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