SFLC releases paper on shareware redistribution of free software

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Software Freedom Law Center Releases Paper on Shareware Redistribution
			   of Free Software

NEW YORK, March 27, 2008 -- The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC),
provider of pro-bono legal services to protect and advance Free and
Open Source Software (FOSS), today published a paper that addresses
free software distributed as shareware in violation of its original
license.

The paper describes actions free software developers can take to
prevent, discover and deal with shareware-related license
infringement. It was written after several free software authors
contacted SFLC with concerns about their software being incorporated
into shareware products without attribution and without source code
distribution.

While shareware can be distributed in accordance with most free
software licenses, violations are common. This paper includes
information on how to package shareware and request money from users
while still complying with free software licenses.

The paper is available on the Web at
http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2008/shareware.html

"Complying with free software licenses is important, even for
shareware. It's the license that makes the software free," said James
Vasile, SFLC Counsel and author of the paper. "This paper will make it
easier to ensure licenses are followed with a minimum of legal
hassle."

About the Software Freedom Law Center

The Software Freedom Law Center -- directed by Eben Moglen, one of the
world's leading experts on copyright law as applied to software --
provides legal representation and other law-related services to
protect and advance Free and Open Source Software. The Law Center is
dedicated to assisting non-profit open source developers and projects.
Visit SFLC at http://www.softwarefreedom.org.


Media contact:

Jim Garrison
Public Relations Coordinator
Software Freedom Law Center
+1-212-461-1910
garrison@softwarefreedom.org

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