License Queries

[NeedSomeHelp12]

Dear MalwareBytes,

I am slightly confused as to the license and if I can run Malwares on my machine validly.

If I make money I would figure that makes this PC a commercial PC. I have not yet made any but am intending to use the PC to make money (so that would be deemed for commercial purposes?), not for a company (as of yet, I am figuring that having a company and a PC within such an environment for those purposes would make that a commercial PC).

The license states - section 11 :

"You may not use the Software for any commercial purpose. The License is for use on the personal or business computers of its owner only."

Since I am the owner of this PC does that make it valid for me to use malwares on it?

I am slightly confused as to when a personal computer becomes a business or one used for commercial purposes computer.

Reading this section in the license it seems that it should be okay, since I am not using the software for commercial purposes i.e. to make money with.

Also if I am learning whilst this is installed how is this deemed?

I installed MalwareBytes and ran a scan and had this also running in the taskbar for a short period of time. That is the extra level of protection provided (maybe the realtime scanner that was running? May have been the trial of this, if this is possible?). This was after reading the license and to my understanding I deemed this okay. However I closed this shortly after as there were some doubts.

Can you please advise and provide some clarity?

Please provide as much detail and information as possible. This would be much appreciated.

Thank you

[exile360]

Greetings

With regards to commercial licensing (i.e. corporate, government, nonprofit, educational etc.), it sounds like you may not fall into that category. If you are a home user who uses your PC for the purpose of making money (selling on ebay, running a small home-based business etc.), then you would still be considered a normal consumer under our current licensing model, and therefore you could use the software on your system (free version) or purchase the PRO version (which offers the realtime protection offered in the 14 day trial) for a one time fee of $24.95 (corp and other licensing is a yearly fee in contrast).

So basically, based on what you've stated, it sounds like you are still a normal consumer, though if you provided a bit more info on the nature of how you're making money with your PC, assuming I haven't covered it above, then I could help you to make certain that you are using the software in a manner that does not violate our End User License Agreement.

Thanks

[NeedSomeHelp12]

Thank you for your reply.

I have not yet made any money.

Basically it is to learn how to make software and then make some and sell it.

Is learning also a part of the commercial aspect? That is if I were to learn, to make money.

If you need further details or information please ask and I will try my best to fulfill your query as this issue is a priority and is of importance to me.

Thank you for your help so far, it is much appreciated.

Look forward to futher replies.

Thank you

[exile360]

If you are essentially working for yourself, learning programming and plan to begin writing software to make money, then that would all still fall under consumer licensing so the one-time license fee still applies. The only way that would change is if you either went to work for another company and the computer that Malwarebytes is installed on is a work computer or if later down the road you established your own company and the machine that Malwarebytes is installed on is one of your company's work computers, but as an individual, independent software developer you have no need to pursue corporate licensing so you should be just fine .

[noknojon]

The License is for use on the personal or business computers of its owner only.

From my reading of it, I think this tends to cover your situation for now -

I would agree with exile 360 that you are not currently in a "company/corporate environment", for the purposes of this question -

If this is not exactly correct it will be summed up by management in their own way -

"for Commercial purpose" as written generally tends to mean a full time company / business only usage, not your own home/personal computer -

Regards -

[NeedSomeHelp12]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I am a bit confused as Exile stated "...still fall under consumer licensing so the one-time license fee still applies". And then "...but as an individual, independent software developer you have no need to pursue corporate licensing so you should be just fine ."

Can you please clarify this as it is a little unclear?

If I have no need to pursue corporate licensing which license is it that you are referring to? And why would I need this? I'm assuming that this is a non-free version, if so why would I need to use this as you mention I do not need to pursue corporate licensing.

Thank you for your input "you know why-", exile appears to be the/a product manager, is this correct? If so then this information can be deemed from management, correct?

I just want to make sure I get this completely correct as you mention:

If this is not exactly correct it will be summed up by management in their own way -

"for Commercial purpose" as written generally tends to mean a full time company / business only usage, not your own home/personal computer -

/quote]

Please can this also be clarified, so there is no uncertainty?

Please provide as much detail and information as possible.

Thank you for all your help so far, it is appreciated.

I look forward to further replies.

Thank you

[NeedSomeHelp12]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I am a bit confused as Exile stated "...still fall under consumer licensing so the one-time license fee still applies". And then "...but as an individual, independent software developer you have no need to pursue corporate licensing so you should be just fine ."

Can you please clarify this as it is a little unclear?

If I have no need to pursue corporate licensing which license is it that you are referring to? And why would I need this? I'm assuming that this is a non-free version, if so why would I need to use this as you mention I do not need to pursue corporate licensing.

Thank you for your input "you know why-", exile appears to be the/a product manager, is this correct? If so then this information can be deemed from management, correct?

I just want to make sure I get this completely correct as you mention:

If this is not exactly correct it will be summed up by management in their own way -

"for Commercial purpose" as written generally tends to mean a full time company / business only usage, not your own home/personal computer -

Please can this also be clarified, so there is no uncertainty?

Please provide as much detail and information as possible.

Thank you for all your help so far, it is appreciated.

I look forward to further replies.

Thank you

[exile360]

My reference to licensing was for the PRO version (i.e. the paid version which offers realtime protection). If you wish to use that, based on what you've told me, you can purchase a consumer license, which is good for life. The other option is to use the Free version at no charge. I say this because based on what you've said, everything indicates that you do not fall into the category of a corporate user (corporate users are required to pay a yearly subscription fee regardless of whether they're using the Free of PRO version of the product as expressed in our EULA).

[NeedSomeHelp12]

Okay, many thanks for the reply.

At what point would I fall into the category of (or what would make me) a corporate user, making it necessary for me to purchase a corporate license?

Thank you for all the help so far, it is much appreciated.

I look forward to further replies.

Thank you

[exile360]

Generally that would be when you own or work for a company and the computer that the software is installed on is one of the machines owned by the business itself. Similarly, if you were a PC technician who repairs PC's for money and you used our product (Free or PRO version) to do cleanup on customer machines, that would also require special licensing.

Also keep in mind that corporate licensing isn't my specific area of expertise, though I don't think you do fall under corporate licensing simply based on the fact that even if you had your business set up, if it's just you working from a single PC, then I don't believe a corporate license would be required, at least that's how most software works with regards to corporate licensing, and I doubt that MBAM is any exception to that.

That being said, if you want to be absolutely certain and remove all doubt and speculation, then I would recommend contacting corporate@malwarebytes.org. The individuals that work in that department specialize in corporate licensing and how it is handled and the details of the legalities of such licensing.

[NeedSomeHelp12]

Many thanks for the previous reply.

Exile360, upon your advice I emailed the aforementioned address, infact I have emailed that address twice now. It has been over 3 weeks of my initial email and I have had no response as of yet. That is - after having waited over a week for a response, instead of posting again on the forum, I sent a further email. Again I have waited over a week but have had no reply so I am hoping you will be able to help further.

Is it possible for you to bring this to the recepients attention or similar? Or do you have any further suggestions or advice or information?

Thank you for all the help so far, it is much appreciated.

I look forward to further replies.

Thank you

[exile360]

Hello again,

I certainly will escalate this for you and make certain you do get a response, thanks for letting me know. Please private message me here on the forum with the contact details you used when contacting them (email address etc.) so that I can let them know who to contact.

In the meantime, please also make sure that both malwarebytes.org and salesforce.com are in your safe sender list so that their responses don't go into your spam or junk folder (you might also check those folders to verify that they aren't there as well).

Thanks