James Mohr wrote:
We all need to be extremely careful about blanket statements like "You can copy **any** Linux CD." Just because Linux is on it, does **not** mean you can copy it to your heart's content, give it away or sell it. Just because the Linux kernel and most of the software provided with most distributions is GPL does **not** mean you can copy the CD.
First, there is the issue of the of commercial software that Christopher pointed out. What the license is and whether you can copy that will depend on the software. You also have some SuSE software/files that they provide, which maybe they don't want copied.
Then there is the issue of the CD as a "collection of software." The vendor is probably prevented from saying that you cannot copy the individual software, but the **collection** is copyrighted, meaning you cannot simply copy the CD. You could copy individual files, but even if you copied all the files individually onto your hard disk and copied that, the specific collection **could** be copyrighted and you **could** be criminally liable.
In 1997, I published "The Linux User's Resource". It contained a copy of Linux Pro with a boiler plate license agreement that said you could **not** copy the "software". Some people who held copyrights on the software (including Allan Cox) got pissed and complained. The response by the publisher's lawyers was that they were copyrighting the collection and not the individual programs, and they could legally say that people could not copy it. Granted the boiler plate license was pretty vague, but this was 1997 and the issues with the GPL were not as clear as they are today. However, the issue of a *collection* of software still applies.
Look at a music book which contains music from Bach, Beethoven and others. More than likely, there is a comment on one of the first few pages "This collection copyright ...". They can do that, even though all of the music is in the public domain, not just GPL. The same applies basically all intellectual property. Even if it is in the public domain, you can copyright the collection and it is legally binding for them to do so.
I seriously doubt that a judge will accept a defense where you say "Joe Blow on the SuSE mailing list said I could copy it all I want." Check the fine print of your distribution or call the vendor. Otherwise it could be very expensive.
Regards,
jimmo
On Thursday 21 March 2002 20:43, Michael Garabedian wrote:
-----Original Message----- From: Michael Garabedian [mailto:mikejr@emergyscorp.com] Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 2:34 PM To: 'James.Hatridge@epost.de' Subject: RE: [SLE] Reselling SuSE ?????
Yes you can, as long as you do not make a profit off of the giving of the software. You could throw a consulting fee in there though, You are not making the money off of selling the software, but the configuration, man hours involved, and information not contained in the suse cds but in your head are licensed to you.
-----Original Message----- From: Jim Hatridge [mailto:James.Hatridge@epost.de] Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 10:53 AM To: suse-linux-e@suse.com Subject: [SLE] Reselling SuSE ?????
Hi all..
I've been reading about the Yast1 / 2 problem. Let me ask a question. For example, if I buy a copy of SuSE 8.0 and burn copies to give away, that's OK, right? What if I charged only for my costs?
Or what if I sell the same copies to guys downunder for say double my cost, ie about 20 euro. Is this OK? If not, why not? Heck the Aussies on the list were moaning about the price. I could burn just the 7 disks and mail them there for around 20-25 euro. What's stopping me?
BTW, I just got a burner <G>.
JIM
-- --------------------------------------- "Science has promised man power...But, as so often happens when people are seduced by promises of power, the price is servitude and impotence. Power is nothing if it is not the power to choose." Joseph Weizenbaum of MIT said in reference to Computers. --------------------------------------- The Great Linux-NT Debate: <http://www.jimmo.com/Linux-NT_Debate/index.html> --------------------------------------- NOTE: All messages sent to me in response to my posts to newsgroups or forums are subject to reposting.
If this were the case, nobody should be allowed to download Suse Linux from the Internet. But this is apparently possible (I rather bought my copies) though one does not only download files but a collection of files. So this 'collection' argument does not apply here. As to the bungled software this must of coursed be looked at individually.