How important to register(license) your own components? [closed]

Question

I am new to component building, and I have noticed that other components have a comment on top of their units like agreement, terms and condition etc. whether its free or commercial.

How important is to register(license) your own component and how/where? and when do you need to register it?

How about freeware? Must have a license too?

How do we know that they're using it?

Answer 1

I think it's a must to always have a license for anything that you distribute publicly. Even if it is freeware take up at least a license that ensures that you are never responsible for damages. There is a wide choice of suitable licenses you could use such as MPL/GPL and so on.

Answer 2

Even if you do not ask money for the use of your code, it is important to claim your copyright and to tell people what they can and cannot do when using your code. That is what a licensen does. Of course it doesn't guarantee that everybody will abide by your "license", but at least they can't claim ignorance or your failure to state what is allowed/acceptable. Some blog authors have phrases along these lines: "You can do use this code however you see fit, even without attribution, except you can't claim it as your own."

Edit: And as Remko points out a disclaimer to avoid damage claims can be pretty important too.