ITPEC IP April 2023 Question 74
ITPEC IP April 2023 — Question 74 of 100
Public domain software can be copied, used, and modified without obtaining permission from a copyright holder. Software enters the public domain when copyright does not apply, has expired, or the rights holder has validly dedicated the work to the public domain. Users therefore are not restricted by exclusive copyright rights, although other laws or attached components may still matter.
Answer (c)
Why not others:
- (a) Shareware is distributed for trial or limited use under the author's license; it is not automatically free to modify
- (b) Package software is a general commercial distribution form and remains licensed
- (d) Utility software describes its maintenance or support function, not its copyright status
Key rule: The ability to modify without copyright permission follows from public-domain status, not from price or software category.
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