Image forming apparatus, launching method of program in the apparatus, image forming system, and program and storage medium therefor

摘要

An image forming apparatus communicates with an external device via a communication medium. A storage unit stores program modules, each of which provides a function that can be executed on the image forming apparatus. A license confirmation unit confirms license information associated with each of the program modules. A program control unit controls operation of each of the program modules in response to a confirmation by the license confirmation unit. When a launch of one of the program modules is instructed, the program control unit executes a corresponding program module.