A customer’s use of a LEADTOOLS software development toolkit (SDK) or add-on is governed by the license agreement that accompanies the product: LEAD’s standard end-user software license agreement (“EULA”).
The SDK license has two (2) primary licensing components:
A “Development License” that allows a programmer to develop with the SDK.
A “Deployment License” permitting the customer to deploy or distribute the resulting application containing the SDK redistributable files.
I. Development License for SDK products:
LEAD’s EULA allows the user to install the SDK on a single development computer and use the SDK for development of an end user application, by integrating certain redistributable libraries and files into the end user application using the SDK sample code and documentation. The basic rules are:
License Needed for Each Developer. A copy of LEADTOOLS must be licensed for each programmer who uses the toolkit. For example, if there are three (3) programmers building a single application with LEADTOOLS, three (3) licenses of LEADTOOLS need to be purchased. (Discounts are available for additional development licenses.)
How do we define "single user" for purposes of the Development License?
License Needed for Each Application Developed. A copy of LEADTOOLS must be licensed for each application that is developed. For example, if three (3) separate applications are developed, three (3) LEADTOOLS Development Licenses need to be purchased. (Discounts are available for additional development licenses.)
How do we define "single application" for purposes of the Development License?
End User Applications Only. LEADTOOLS may only be used to develop an "end user" application. An end user application is an application for business or personal use that may not be copied or redistributed by the user. LEADTOOLS may not be used in a developer oriented product, such as a development toolkit or a product that contains an API. In addition, if all or any portion of an application is redistributed by our customer's customer, the application is not an end user application within the meaning of the LEADTOOLS EULA.
If a customer wishes to use LEADTOOLS in connection with the development of an application that is not an "end user" application, the customer may be able to obtain a customized license from LEAD. LEAD's licensing department can be contacted at: oemsales@leadtools.com.
II. Deployment License
The Deployment License governs the customer’s use of the resulting end user application (“Application Software”) that is developed with the SDK. Unlike an end user license, an SDK license generally grants a license to copy and redistribute a portion of the software. The LEADTOOLS SDK product line consists of three (3) categories of SDKs from a Deployment License standpoint:
SDKs that are licensed as “runtime free” allowing a customer to distribute an unlimited quantity of copies of the Application Software.
SDKs that are “Hybrid” in the sense that they are “runtime free” for Application Software that is used internally by the customer, but require an additional distribution license fee for Application Software that is commercially distributed beyond a certain quantity.
SDKs that require a “runtime license” based on the deployment or distribution of the end user application, whether internal or commercial.
Runtime Free
License. LEAD’s entry-level SDK is “runtime free”. A
customer may commercially distribute and/or internally deploy Application
Software developed with this product on a quantity unlimited basis.
The following products are governed by the Runtime Free License:
Hybrid License.
A Hybrid License allows a customer to deploy its Application Software
for internal use to an unlimited number of computers that are owned or
controlled by the customer. In
addition, a customer may commercially deploy up to one thousand (1000)
client licenses or five (5) production servers of its Application Software
per year with this license. If
a customer wishes to deploy more than one thousand (1000) copies/five
(5) production servers of its Application Software per year, the customer
must purchase a distribution license. Distribution
licenses for single and multi-year periods may be purchased for a reasonable
flat fee. Please
contact oemsales@leadtools.com
to inquire about a distribution license.
The following products are governed by the Hybrid License:
Runtime License.
Certain products
require a runtime license for each
computer the customer’s application is installed on, either internal or
commercially distributed. LEAD offers a variety of licensing options,
including desk top licensing, concurrent user licensing, server licensing,
site licensing and enterprise licensing.
The following products are governed by the Runtime License:
LEADTOOLS Document Imaging Enterprise
LEADTOOLS Virtual Printer Module
LEADTOOLS Medical Multimedia Module
LEADTOOLS Video Streaming Module
LEADTOOLS MPEG-2 Transport Module
LEAD DirectShow Filters and Codecs
Please contact oemsales@leadtools.com if you have any questions concerning runtime licenses.
III. Other Licensing Requirements
Additional licensing requirements apply to applications developed using LEAD products:
Copyright Notice. An application that is developed with LEADTOOLS must contain the following copyright notice in the "about box" or software documentation/help file: "Portions of this program were developed using LEADTOOLS © 1991-2010 LEAD Technologies, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Portions of this product are licensed under US patent 5,327,254 and foreign counterparts.”
End User License Agreement. The end user application developed with LEADTOOLS must be distributed with an EULA which prohibits reverse engineering, disassembly, modification and copying (other than for back up purposes) and which preserves LEAD's intellectual property rights in the software to a commercially reasonable degree.
OEMs. If LEAD's customer develops an application and wishes to allow a third party OEM to modify and redistribute the application, an OEM distribution license needs to be obtained by the customer for each OEM that will be modifying the software and redistributing it. Please contact oemsales@leadtools.com regarding OEM Distribution Licenses.
How do we define "OEM application" for purposes of the Deployment License?
Export Restrictions. Any end user application developed with LEADTOOLS is subject to the US Export Regulations. Thus a LEAD customer may not ship the end user application to any country where US law restricts exports, such as Cuba, Sudan, Iran, North Korea or Syria. (Please contact US Import Control Agency for a current list of prohibited territories.)
For more information, refer to:
Single End User Application License Examples
LEADTOOLS Standard End-User Software License Agreement (EULA)
Development Seat Frequently Asked Questions