isr.co.ro : glossary Freeware Software that you may use without payment--even though the author or program owner still retains the normal rights of ownership. Authors or firms may release a program as freeware out of a sense of community, as promotion for other projects, or because it is too specialized or too old to make any other type of release practical. Freeware is sometimes confused with with "shareware" or public-domain software. With shareware, some degree of trial use is permitted, but you must pay if you continue to use the program. With public-domain software, the author or owner relinquishes all rights and you can freely use, copy, or modify the work however you like.