aimeeandbeatles
watermelon
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2007
- Messages
- 20,112
This is a rip off.
- Thread starter aimeeandbeatles
- Start date
Who should I report it to?Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
Report it to the respective developers of the software.
You also want to check to make sure it is indeed violating the respective licenses of the software presented. One of the most common is GPL, you can start there: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html
You also want to check to make sure it is indeed violating the respective licenses of the software presented. One of the most common is GPL, you can start there: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html
Hmm. I just took a glance at their OpenOffice page, and right at the bottom
Then, I looked at Thunderbird - just says it's a product from Mozilla....
Scribus - no mention of it's licensing at all.
I looked at the "About" page -- no mention of licensing at all, there. They *might* be skating around the rules by calling it all "Free Software", which is a slightly more restrictive term than "Open Source". (I haven't checked the actual licenses of most of the products to be sure it fits the "Free Software" definition.) And, of course, no mention is made of how to obtain the source code for any of it, which is require by Free Software licenses. So dropping a line to the FSF just might be in order.
(And, by the way, it is perfectly legal to sell GPL software. As long as all you charge is a nominal fee for media and shipping & handling.)
Then, I looked at Thunderbird - just says it's a product from Mozilla....
Scribus - no mention of it's licensing at all.
I looked at the "About" page -- no mention of licensing at all, there. They *might* be skating around the rules by calling it all "Free Software", which is a slightly more restrictive term than "Open Source". (I haven't checked the actual licenses of most of the products to be sure it fits the "Free Software" definition.) And, of course, no mention is made of how to obtain the source code for any of it, which is require by Free Software licenses. So dropping a line to the FSF just might be in order.
(And, by the way, it is perfectly legal to sell GPL software. As long as all you charge is a nominal fee for media and shipping & handling.
)
Mise
isle of lucy
They're not selling the software, they're selling the CD.
aimeeandbeatles
watermelon
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2007
- Messages
- 20,112
Thanks. I'll see what I can do in terms of contacting the people who make it.
I read on a site about free software as shareware, you have to see the license before reporting it. But I don't want to order it because apparently from googling it rips you off and takes money off your credit card/out of your bank without clearly telling you (and anyways as I said a few times I can't order online). Should I report it anyways?
I read on a site about free software as shareware, you have to see the license before reporting it. But I don't want to order it because apparently from googling it rips you off and takes money off your credit card/out of your bank without clearly telling you (and anyways as I said a few times I can't order online). Should I report it anyways?
Perfection
The Great Head.
Go ask on a forum for open source developers.
Till
Adventurer
QFT.
It's perfectly legal to charge for services related to open source software (such as shipping it).
Yes, by definition Free Software and Open Source Software can be sold by other people - that's part of the freedom 
Even the software vs. CD distinction doesn't matter - they're quite entitled to charge you loads of money for the software itself, if you're stupid enough to pay it.
I'm not aware that any open source/free software licences require you to advertise the licence when selling it - usually it's only that the licence is distributed with the software.
I see no evidence of any violation here. It might be that the source code is included on the CD. The only way to tell is to buy the CD, and if it's not on there, request the source code from them.
Even the software vs. CD distinction doesn't matter - they're quite entitled to charge you loads of money for the software itself, if you're stupid enough to pay it.
I'm not aware that any open source/free software licences require you to advertise the licence when selling it - usually it's only that the licence is distributed with the software.
Nope, I believe that only applies to the offer of the source code - if they give you the binary, and you request the source code, they can only charge you a nominal fee. However, they can charge what they like for the original binary.
I see no evidence of any violation here. It might be that the source code is included on the CD. The only way to tell is to buy the CD, and if it's not on there, request the source code from them.
Yes, by definition Free Software and Open Source Software can be sold by other people - that's part of the freedom
Even the software vs. CD distinction doesn't matter - they're quite entitled to charge you loads of money for the software itself, if you're stupid enough to pay it.
I'm not aware that any open source/free software licences require you to advertise the licence when selling it - usually it's only that the licence is distributed with the software.
Nope, I believe that only applies to the offer of the source code - if they give you the binary, and you request the source code, they can only charge you a nominal fee. However, they can charge what they like for the original binary.
I see no evidence of any violation here. It might be that the source code is included on the CD. The only way to tell is to buy the CD, and if it's not on there, request the source code from them.
You're absolutely correct - I don't know what I was thinking.
Even RMS said that you can charge whatever you want for Free Software....
Lone Wolf
Deity
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2006
- Messages
- 9,908
Perfection
The Great Head.
Man. they're even unsafe for children. 
Similar threads
