Careware
Encyclopedia
Careware is software licensed in a way that benefits a charity
. Some careware is distributed free
, and the author suggests that some payment be made to either a nominated charity, or a charity of the user's choice. Commercial
careware, on the other hand, includes a levy for charity on top of the distribution charge. It can also be a barter of some kind, or even a pledge to be kind to strangers.
The concept of careware and the first known use of the term itself appeared in Dr. Dobb's Journal
in Al Stevens' C Programming Column in about 1988. Stevens was developing a user interface library and publishing the source code in monthly installments. To distribute code to readers, Stevens suggested they send him an addressed stamped mailer with a blank diskette. He copied the code onto the diskette and returned it. He also suggested that to express their appreciation they include a dollar, which he would donate to the local food bank
in Brevard County, Florida
. Stevens named this distribution method "careware."
Paul Lutus
' careware idea involves no monetary exchange - instead it involves a request for the user to "stop complaining for a while and make the world a better place."
For example, the vim
text editor is free software
but includes a request from its author, Bram Moolenaar
, that users donate to ICCF Holland
for work to help AIDS
victims in Uganda
. Vim's Charityware license has been declared by Richard Stallman
to be GPL-compatible. Another current example is MJ's CD Archiver, a file archiver for Microsoft Windows
/Linux
/Mac OS X
. The suggested charity is NACEF, a US-registered charity for China
's Project Hope
.
A close variation of careware is donationware
, which has a stricter definition than careware.
Commercial
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. Some careware is distributed free
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, and the author suggests that some payment be made to either a nominated charity, or a charity of the user's choice. Commercial
Commercial software
Commercial software, or less commonly, payware, is computer software that is produced for sale or that serves commercial purposes.Commercial software is most often proprietary software, but free software packages may also be commercial software....
careware, on the other hand, includes a levy for charity on top of the distribution charge. It can also be a barter of some kind, or even a pledge to be kind to strangers.
The concept of careware and the first known use of the term itself appeared in Dr. Dobb's Journal
Dr. Dobb's Journal
Dr. Dobb's Journal was a monthly journal published in the United States by CMP Technology. It covered topics aimed at computer programmers. DDJ was the first regular periodical focused on microcomputer software, rather than hardware. It later became a monthly section within the periodical...
in Al Stevens' C Programming Column in about 1988. Stevens was developing a user interface library and publishing the source code in monthly installments. To distribute code to readers, Stevens suggested they send him an addressed stamped mailer with a blank diskette. He copied the code onto the diskette and returned it. He also suggested that to express their appreciation they include a dollar, which he would donate to the local food bank
Food bank
A food bank or foodbank is a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes mostly donated food to a wide variety of agencies that in turn feed the hungry. The largest sources of food are for-profit growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers who in the normal course of business have...
in Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County, Florida
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 536,521, making it the 10th most populous county in the state. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard...
. Stevens named this distribution method "careware."
Paul Lutus
Paul Lutus
Paul Lutus is a computer programmer and former NASA designer. Before becoming a software author, Lutus designed electronics for the NASA Space Shuttle and created a mathematical model of the solar system that was used by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory during the Viking Mars mission...
' careware idea involves no monetary exchange - instead it involves a request for the user to "stop complaining for a while and make the world a better place."
For example, the vim
Vim (text editor)
Vim is a text editor written by Bram Moolenaar and first released publicly in 1991. Based on the vi editor common to Unix-like systems, Vim is designed for use both from a command line interface and as a standalone application in a graphical user interface...
text editor is free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
but includes a request from its author, Bram Moolenaar
Bram Moolenaar
Bram Moolenaar is an active member of the open source software community. He is the author of Vim, a text editor that is very popular among programmers and power users....
, that users donate to ICCF Holland
ICCF Holland
International Child Care Fund Holland is a small non-governmental organization that supports a project in Kibaale, a small town in the south of Uganda. The project aims at helping AIDS victims. In this poor area of Africa, many adults are infected with HIV. When they die, the children are left...
for work to help AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
victims in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. Vim's Charityware license has been declared by Richard Stallman
Richard Stallman
Richard Matthew Stallman , often shortened to rms,"'Richard Stallman' is just my mundane name; you can call me 'rms'"|last= Stallman|first= Richard|date= N.D.|work=Richard Stallman's homepage...
to be GPL-compatible. Another current example is MJ's CD Archiver, a file archiver for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
/Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
/Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. The suggested charity is NACEF, a US-registered charity for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's Project Hope
Project Hope
Project Hope is a Chinese public service project organized by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Communist Youth League Central Committee. Started on October 30, 1989, it aims to bring schools into poverty-stricken rural areas of China, to help children whose families are too poor...
.
A close variation of careware is donationware
Donationware
Donationware is a licensing model that supplies fully operational software to the user and pleads for an optional donation be paid to the programmer or a third-party beneficiary . The amount of the donation may also be stipulated by the author, or it may be left to the discretion of the user,...
, which has a stricter definition than careware.
Examples of careware
Non-commercial examples- ArachnophiliaArachnophiliaArachnophilia is a source code editor written in Java by Paul Lutus. It is the successor to another HTML editor, WebThing. The program is licensed as Careware software...
- FireFTPFireFTPFireFTP is a free, open source, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla Firefox in the form of an add-on. It supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP. FireFTP is charityware and runs on platforms that Firefox supports.- Features :...
- KiXtartKiXtartKiXtart is a free-format scripting language for Windows. It is described as a logon script processor and enhanced batch scripting language by the official website. Its name is a portmanteau of "kick start".-Overview:...
- PeazipPeaZipPeaZip is a file manager and file archiver for Microsoft Windows and GNU/Linux. It supports its native PEA archive format and other mainstream formats, with special focus on handling open formats...
- Vim (text editor)Vim (text editor)Vim is a text editor written by Bram Moolenaar and first released publicly in 1991. Based on the vi editor common to Unix-like systems, Vim is designed for use both from a command line interface and as a standalone application in a graphical user interface...
- Windows Live MessengerWindows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
(through "i’m" initiative)
Commercial
- Product RedProduct RedProduct Red, styled as RED, is a brand licensed to partner companies such as Nike, American Express , Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, Bugaboo, Penguin Classics , Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark and Dell...