General License FAQs

Academic Licensing (also known as “Educational Licensing” or “University Licensing”) refers to special licensing models for educational institutions such as universities and research institutions. These licenses often offer significant discounts compared to commercial licenses and are usually tied to use for educational and research purposes.

Home use refers to the use of software or other products at home, often as part of special licensing programs (maintenance contracts for volume licenses). These licenses allow users to install and use software that is normally intended for professional or academic use on private devices.

These licenses are usually linked to certain conditions, such as use only on a private device and not for commercial purposes.

The difference between perpetual licenses and subscription licenses (sometimes also called software subscriptions) lies mainly in the way the software is purchased and used:

Purchase License:

• One-time payment: You pay a one-time fee to use the software permanently.
• Unlimited use: After purchase, you can use the software indefinitely, but often only in the purchased version.
• Maintenance and updates: New versions or updates usually have to be purchased separately.
  
  

Subscription license:

• Regular payments: You pay monthly or annually to use the software.
• Time-limited use: Use is limited to the duration of the subscription agreement.
• Including updates: Updates and maintenance are often included in the subscription cost as part of a maintenance contract, so you can always use the latest version of the software.
• Flexibility: Subscription licenses often offer more flexibility because you can adjust the number of licenses as needed.

These differences make purchase licenses particularly attractive for users who plan for the long term and do not want to have regular costs, while subscription licenses are beneficial for those who prefer flexibility and always up-to-date software.

The difference between single use licenses and concurrent or floating licenses lies in the way the software is installed and used:

Single Use License:

• Installed on a single device.
• Ideal for individuals who only want to use the software on just one device.
• License access is only possible via this specific device.

Concurrent License:

• Installed on a network server (license server) and allows access from multiple devices within the network.
• Ideal for organizations where multiple users need to access the software.
• Users can access the license from their individual devices as long as they are connected to the network where the license server is located.
• Network licenses can sometimes be “checked out” to use the software offline.

The difference between named user and shared device licensing is how the licenses are assigned and used:

Named User License:

• Assignment to a person: This license is assigned to a specific person who logs in with their own user account / credentials.
• Flexibility: The named user can access the software from different devices as long as they log in with their account.
  Example: An employee working from different locations or devices can use the software anywhere as long as they log in with their account.

Shared Device License:

• Assignment to a device: This license is assigned to a specific device, regardless of who is using it.
• Shared use: Multiple users can use the device and access the licensed software without the need for individual licenses.

These differences make named user licenses beneficial for individual users working from different devices, while shared device licenses are ideal for shared devices in public or collaborative environments.

A maintenance contract (or software maintenance contract, software assurance) is an agreement between a software provider and a customer that ensures that the software is continuously maintained, updated and supported after the initial delivery. This usually includes bug fixes, security updates as well as the provision of new software versions:

• Access to new software versions: Customers can upgrade to the latest software versions during the contract period.
• Additional usage rights: This may include use of the software on multiple devices or in virtual environments.
• Support and training: Customers receive extended technical support and access to training resources.

The end user license agreement regulates the specific framework conditions for the use of software by the “end customer”. The users must explicitly agree in advance to comply with this agreement. This is usually done by means of a document to be confirmed, which is displayed during the installation process or when the software is used for the first time. This document (usually) describes, for example, that the software may not be modified or resold or on which devices installation is permitted. In the end user license agreement, it is sometimes minor details that determine whether an application scenario is permitted or prohibited. It is therefore advisable to copy and save the displayed EULA in a document during installation in case of doubt, if it is not available in any other way.