Perforce is following the "limited-free" license model championed by big-scale vendors and ISVs alike with a no-cost license option for its version management system for up to 20 users with 20 workspaces and unlimited files.

The Perforce 20/20 program will provide access to the recently announced 2012.1 release of its version management system, which features stronger version control capabilities for distributed teams.

Attempting to provide a tangible real-world example of a company that has used its system and incurred no physical costs, Perforce quotes Stewart Gilray, chief executive officer of Just Add Water as follows, "Perforce 20/20 is a fantastic opportunity for small indie games developers like us. We need a really powerful, flexible system to keep pace with the demanding development environment we use to create the next generation of Oddworld titles, and the fact that Perforce is now free for companies and teams of our size is perfect."

While many tablet and mobile apps are offered with initially limited functionality at no cost, Perforce claims to be providing its most up-to-date features for free for up to 20 users and 20 workspaces and an unlimited number of files — or, free for an unlimited number of users and up to 1,000 files.

Additionally, Perforce is available at no cost for use in open source projects, such as FreeBSD, and to educational institutions. No surprise though that the company says when development teams are ready to buy Perforce, "We offer a full complement of licensing options with straightforward, all-inclusive pricing and access to our renowned technical support and services."