Distribution
I have thus far used the word distribution as if it had obvious meaning in the software world. Certainly it means selling or giving copies of software away to others. It also may include such arrangements as incorporating software into consumer or industrial products and selling those products to others. For some software, it may also include making the software available across a network for execution by others.
In the proprietary software world, before a company may become a distributor it must negotiate a formal business arrangement with the owner of the software. These contracts typically establish marketing arrangements, territorial limitations, pricing structures, and other business terms.
None of this is needed for open source ...
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