Why Caldera's DR-DOS is not truly free

For example, Caldera's DR-DOS web page says:

>DR-DOS Availability
>An evaluation copy of Caldera DR-DOS (and other software) is available
>for download from Caldera's Web site.

The term "evaluation" should be a big clue that DR-DOS is not truly free.

Also, on the downloads page for DR-DOS, you can see this in the license
agreement:

>Caldera grants you a non-exclusive license to use the Software in
>source or binary form free of charge if your use of the Software is
>for the purpose of evaluating whether to purchase an ongoing license
>to the Software. The evaluation period for use by or on behalf of a
>commercial entity is limited to 90 days; evaluation use by others is
>not subject to this 90 day limit but is still limited to a reasonable
>period. If you are using the Software free of charge, you are not
>entitled to support or telephone assistance. If you fit within the
>description of a non-commercial use license, you may use the Software
>in the manner described in Parts III and IV below under "Scope of
>Grant."

So it's free "for the purpose of evaluating whether to purchase".  In
other words, DR-DOS is shareware.

Later in the agreement it limits your ability to redistribute the software:

>REDISTRIBUTION OF THE SOFTWARE IS PERMITTED FOR NON-COMMERCIAL
>PURPOSES provided that..

Only if you are using DR-DOS for a non-commercial purpose (i.e. at
home to play games and replace MS-DOS) does DR-DOS cost you nothing,
and you can redistribute it for other non-commercial use.  But a
business or other commercial user has to pay $$ to use DR-DOS beyond
the 90-day trial period.  Same for their source code.

FreeDOS, on the other hand, is totally free.  You can use it and
redistribute it freely.  Most FreeDOS software is covered under the
GNU GPL, or something similar.  A very few are public domain.  Read
the GNU GPL (available from the http://www.fsf.org site) for more
information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jim Hall