When you buy software, the source code usually is not made public, but doesn’t your computer still have to run the code to use the software? How can it run the code without allowing the user to see the code?

Question

When you buy software, the source code usually is not made public, but doesn’t your computer still have to run the code to use the software? How can it run the code without allowing the user to see the code?

In: Technology

Answer 1

The code is usually encrypted by the compiler, so the user doesn’t see the details of the code.

In any case, the license to run the program, purchased when you bought the CD or account, means that you have the right to have access to the code as is required to run the particular program. In most cases, that is the compiled software, but occasionally that can be uncompiled code.