Public-domain software

Public-domain software is like sharing your toys with your friends. When you have a toy and you don't need it anymore, you give it to your friends to play with, and they can use it however they like. This is kind of like what people do with software. People who create software sometimes decide to make it public-domain which means they are giving it away to anyone who wants to use it.

Think of it like a big toy box that everyone can play with. Anyone can use the public-domain software for free, and no one has to pay anyone else for it. This means that people can use it to help with their work or make new things without having to worry about getting in trouble for using someone else's stuff without permission.

It's kind of like when you draw a picture and show it to your parents, and they let you hang it on the fridge. Your drawing is now public-domain because everyone who comes over to your house can see it and enjoy it. Similarly, public-domain software can be used by anyone for any purpose, for free, without having to worry about any legal issues.