Copyright Issues in Teaching with Technology

Computer Software
Computer software falls into four general categories: commercial, shareware, freeware, and public domain. Commercial software licenses permit the making of one archival copy, which may only be used if the original becomes damaged or nonfunctional. Additional copies, for example for a second office or home computer, are legal only if permitted by the specific license for that software. Many higher education institutions, including Dakota Wesleyan, have negotiated site licenses that permit multiple copies of some software at reduced rates. Contact the Information Systems Help Desk for information about software available at DWU.

Shareware and freeware also receive copyright protection. Both are widely available from software archives on the Internet and other sources. Shareware licenses permit you to install the software on your computer and try it out. If you decide to keep it and continue to use it, then you must pay the specified fee to the copyright holder. You may make an archival copy of shareware under the same conditions as for commercial software. Freeware, also commonly known as “open source” software, is just that. It may be installed, used, copied, and even modified without payment of any fee. About the only limitation on freeware is that it cannot be redistributed for profit by anyone except the copyright holder, although derivative versions may be distributed by anyone as freeware. Public domain software, which must be clearly marked as such, is fair game.

Illegal software on your computer carries a risk, both to you and to the university. The DWU Computer Policy specifies that only software officially purchased and licensed by the university may be installed on university-owned computers. Copyright holders are becoming increasingly aggressive in obtaining search warrants to find out if their software has been pirated.

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