Microsoft Corporation
December 1999
Summary: This article provides in-depth answers to frequently asked licensing questions regarding Microsoft DirectX. (3 printed pages)
There are four different EULAs depending on which technology you are downloading: one governs developers’ use of the Software Development Kit (SDK); one governs use of the Driver library (DDK); one governs use of DirectX® Media; and the last governs end user usage of DirectX.
The DirectX SDK End User License Agreement is located at DXF/LICENSE/ (SETUP.EXE) and may be read before downloading the DirectX SDK. After download, the DirectX SDK is located in the directory DXF/LICENSE/EULA.DOC.
The End User License Agreement can be found in the file named LICENSE.TXT and provides suggested language for you to include with your redistribution of the Microsoft redistributable code. This language is also discussed under DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS in the DirectX SDK End User License Agreement.
The DirectX Media EULA is displayed on setup of DirectX Media.
The DirectX DDK EULA is also displayed on setup.
As explained in the DirectX SDK End User License Agreement (EULA) and the DirectX Media SDK EULA, you may include the contents of the redistributable code with your application free of charge and without additional permission from Microsoft so long as you make no modifications to the DirectX components, except as described in the Redistributable Agreement, located at \LICENSE\REDIST.TXT on the DirectX 6.0 or later SDK CD-ROM. You must display copyright or disclaimer notices in your product, and you must not remove copyright notices displayed in any part of the DirectX setup or product.
No need to register. See the answer to Question 2, above.
Yes. See the answer to Question 2, above.
Yes. See the answer to Question 2, above.
The DirectX license is granted free of charge. You can find the license agreement on the DirectX 6.0 or later SDK CD-ROM in the LICENSE folder, \LICENSE\EULA.DOC.
Yes.
Direct3D, and any other part of DirectX, may be redistributed. However, you must include all redistributable files, as listed at \LICENSE\REDIST.TXT on the DirectX 6.0 or later CD-ROM. You may select only the language redistributables you need. You do not need to include all of the different language redistributable files.
There is currently no logo for Direct3D, and while you may mention our product name, you should not imitate our trade dress, type style, product logos, or product packaging.
See the answer to Question 1, above.
E-mail directx@microsoft.com for a Book Deal Redistribution Agreement.
No, you may not redistribute the Tunnel Test with your product.
No. You should send home users to the DirectX home user Web site, located at www.microsoft.com/directx/, to ensure that they download the latest files, including any “hot fixes” necessary to correct problems found in the field. DirectX download and SDK files have been moved to higher capacity servers, so time-outs should no longer be a problem.
Yes, they are redistributable under the terms of the EULA. However, these files may only be redistributed with the other files included in the DirectX redistributables. You may select only the language redistributables you need. You do not need to include all of the different language redistributable files.
The initial version of the DirectX SDK, distributed in early 1995, was called the Games SDK. All subsequent versions have been named DirectX SDK.