Licensing Frequently Asked Questions

Awaresoft Software License Agreement

How many licenses do I need?
You need a separate Aware IM license for each installation of the Aware IM Server. A typical organization would need to run only one Aware IM Server. In addition, you need a sufficient number of named user licenses for the people in your organization who use the installed Aware IM Server.
A certain number of user licenses is included when you purchase Aware IM. Additional user licenses can be purchased separately as required.

What is a named user license?
A named user license allows a single user to connect to the Aware IM Server installed in an organization. A user can be a person who uses an application powered by Aware IM via an Internet browser, or who configures an Aware IM application using the Configuration Tool. A named user license is required for each member of an organization paid for their work by the organization, such as an employee or a contractor, who uses Aware IM. Named user licenses are not required for customers, partners or volunteer members of an organization.
Example 1: A company uses Aware IM to run an order-processing application. Of all company staff, only 6 people have access to Aware IM to work on customer orders. The company have hundreds of customers who can access the application over the Internet to place an order or check their order status or other details. The company would need 6 user licenses.
Example 2: A company of 30 people uses Aware IM to run a time-tracking application. All staff members use the application to submit their weekly timesheet. The company would need 30 user licenses.
Example 3: A charity organization has 2 paid staff members and 25 registered volunteers. They all regularly use Aware IM to coordinate their efforts. The organization would need 2 user licenses.
A named user license is different from a concurrent license. With concurrent licenses, used by some software products, the number of users connected to a server at the same time is limited by the number of concurrent licenses in the organization. If more users want to connect to the server, they have to wait until a current user disconnects and a connection becomes available. With named user licenses any number of users can connect to the server at any time as long as the organization has a named user license for each user who requires a license.

Do I need separate servers to run multiple applications?
No. A single Aware IM Server can manage multiple applications.

Do I own the application that I create?
Absolutely! Just like a document you write using a text editor, an application you create with Aware IM is your intellectual property. You can export your Aware IM application into a file. It is then entirely up to you what you do with this file – you can give it away or sell it. The people who you give it to will need to have Aware IM to be able to read the file and run the application.

Can I create applications for others?
Yes. You can create Aware IM applications and distribute them to other parties. If you are interested in bundling your applications with Aware IM and distributing the single package to your clients, please check out the Developers tab.

What is Aware IM Runtime license?
Aware IM Runtime license allows installing the Aware IM Runtime engine to run an application distributed with it. Only one application can be distributed with the Aware IM Runtime engine.
You can purchase Aware IM Runtime licenses only if you have previously purchased Aware IM Developer Edition and only for distribution of your applications packaged with the Aware IM Runtime engine to your customers. Aware IM Runtime license does not allow creating or changing applications.

Can I host applications for my customers?
Yes. You can use a licensed Aware IM Server (not Aware IM Runtime engine) to run applications used by your customers over the Internet. This is considered your internal business use. You are not required to purchase user licenses for customers who use the hosted applications.

How many licenses do my customers need?
When you distribute your applications packaged with the Aware IM Runtime engine, each of your customers needs an Aware IM Runtime license and a sufficient number of named user licenses for the people in the customer’s organization who use Aware IM. You are required to purchase these licenses for your customers before you ship the software to them. If your customers need more user licenses at a later stage, they should contact you and you should purchase the required additional named user licenses for them.
If you provide application hosting for your customers, they do not install Aware IM and do not need any licenses.

Can my customers change my applications?
This depends on the way you distribute your applications. If you purchased the Aware IM Developer Edition and distribute your applications packaged with the Aware IM Runtime engine, then your customers cannot change the applications because the Aware IM Runtime license does not allow creating or changing applications.
If your customers need to adjust your applications to their specific needs, they would need to purchase the Professional edition of Aware IM, which would allow them to run and change applications. You would then distribute the configuration of your applications as separate files without the Aware IM Runtime engine on your own terms.

Can I include my own license with my applications?
Yes. When you use the Aware IM Developer Edition to prepare an installation package (that includes your application and the Aware IM Runtime engine), you will be prompted to supply a file containing your license.