Which of the following is software that is free for the taking without any licensing fees?

Public-domain software is software that has been released into the public domain and is not subject to copyright restrictions. This means that anyone can use, modify, and distribute it without needing to pay royalties or licensing fees. Often, public-domain software is made available by authors who seek to promote their work or technology, allowing unrestricted access to everyone.

In contrast, copyrighted software is protected by copyright laws, which require users to pay for licenses to use it. Shareware is generally available for free for a limited time or with limited features but requires payment for full access. Volume licenses are agreements that allow organizations to use a certain number of copies of a software program but still require payment for that usage. Thus, public-domain software is distinct as it places no restrictions or costs on users.