A: Yes, it was always free for redistribution. However, you cannot legally use it to run a database built with a pirated copy of Access 2003. You need a licensed full copy of Access 2003 to create the original database.
Microsoft Access is unique among the Office suite because it is both a development environment and a user interface. When you purchase Microsoft Access (or the full Office Professional suite), you get the ability to create tables, design forms, write VBA code, and debug queries. However, the vast majority of end-users do not need to design tables or write code; they simply need to enter data and generate reports. microsoft access runtime 2003