Software Classification
By Use
Productivity software is software that people use to complete daily tasks.
Collaboration software helps people communicate and work with one another, and helps computers share information.
Specialized software performs tasks for specific purposes.
Software Architecture Classification
Target users of application software fall into one of the following three categories:
- bespoke: custom made, specifically designed and developed for an organization
- off-the-shelf: provides a general set of features that are useful to a broad range of users
- hybrid: is off-the-shelf software, customized to an organization’s needs
Local applications are application software stored on individual computers.
Cloud applications, or cloud apps, are software units where cloud-based and local components work together to perform tasks.
Software Licensing
Closed-source means no one is permitted to modify their operating system code other than the original developers/owners.
Open-source systems allow individuals and organizations to open and modify the operating system’s kernel, the heart of the operating system.
End User License Agreement (EULA) establishes the user’s right to use the software.
Software Packing
Shareware is an application that can be installed as a trial limited by time and/or functionality.
Freeware is an application that is free.
Freeware and shareware are both protected by end-user license agreements (EULA) and copyright laws (where applicable).
Public domain software has no EULA and no intellectual property protections and is available for anyone to download and use at their own discretion.
Copyright gives an author of a software package the ability to prevent unauthorized duplication for at least 35 years.
- Copyright is not applied for but is automatically obtained at the creation of the work
Patents in software packaging primarily protect unique methods, algorithms, or processes embedded within software applications.
- often do not cover the entire software package
- Patents also relate to hardware and hardware components
- Two types of patents that hardware can be classified by:
- utility patents: protects the way an article is used and works
- design patents: protects the way an article looks