Frequently Asked Questions About Software Licenses
Do I need a license for free programs such as WinZip?
There are also licenses for free programs. However, it is voluntary to register it or not. It is important during inspections that you have the correct licenses of commercial and paid software.
Can licenses from a holding company also be used by subsidiaries?
Yes, although that does not mean that all employees are allowed to work on one license. It does not matter who purchases the license. Parent organizations often purchase licenses for subsidiaries, because this results in a bulk discount. However, licenses are usually issued per user or number of users, or per devices or numbers of devices. But even if they are purchased in bulk, every user or device simply needs a license in that case.
Suppose my employee works at home on his private computer with an illegal version of Windows on it. He logs in to the company network via a VPN or remote desktop. Am I responsible for its illegal operating system?
Yes. In the first instance, you are of course responsible for all software that runs within the VPN and remote desktop. But as a company, you are also responsible for the software that an employee uses to make that contact. In this case, an illegal version of Windows.
Am I responsible for the apps that an employee installs himself on his company-supplied smartphone?
Yes. If you provide smartphones to your employees for business purposes, you are responsible for all software on that device. So also for the apps that employees install on their phones. In essence, this is no different from providing a business computer.
Do I need to have licenses for computers in storage?
If the software is installed on those computers, yes. Even when it comes to devices in storage, which, for example, are only deployed when a computer shuts down or is extra needed, you need licenses for the software installed on that device. This therefore only concerns software that is installed on the computer itself. You do not need a license to use applications on a network until you actually connect the device to that network.
