As I understand it, most distributions of Linux are offered free. SuSE offers an evaluation version which only runs off of a CD and is extremely slow. Is there any way for me to download a non-evaluation version of SuSE from their FTP, or must I purchase the distribution? If purchasing is the only way of getting a non-evaluation copy of SuSE's distribution, is this in accordance with the GNU public license?
* FlavusSnow@aol.com (FlavusSnow@aol.com) [010329 20:44]: =>is this in accordance with the GNU public license? Charging for distributions and not giving them away is not against the GPL...making modifications to GPL code and not returning it to the public is. You can download an iso of 7.1 from the FTP site. It was posted about 2 weeks ago. I am not sure where it is as I have no need for the base iso system. -- Ben Rosenberg mailto:ben@whack.org ----- If two men agree on everything, you can be sure that only one of them is doing the thinking.
On Thu, Mar 29, 2001 at 11:42:45PM -0500, FlavusSnow@aol.com wrote:
As I understand it, most distributions of Linux are offered free. SuSE offers an evaluation version which only runs off of a CD and is extremely slow. Is there any way for me to download a non-evaluation version of SuSE from their FTP, or must I purchase the distribution? If purchasing is the only way of getting a non-evaluation copy of SuSE's distribution, is this in accordance with the GNU public license?
You can download the install disk, and perform a ftp install. The GPL only states that you have to distribute your source code if you distribute the software. It does not say that the software must be available free of charge. If you buy the software, you get the source. If you download the software, you also get the source. However, if you use the evaluation CD, then you can still grab the source off of the FTP server, and the GPL is satisfied. - v -- Victor R. Cardona vcardona@home.com "Behold the keyboard of Kahless, the greatest Klingon code warrior that ever lived!"
GPL is about free software, free as in free speech, not as in free beer. I bought GNU Emacs on a tape cartridge for $150 in the late 80's directly from the Free Software Foundation. RMS's free software will cost you money if you buy direct. SuSE's Linux distribution is covered by a variety of licenses. Obviously the kernel is GPL. Some of it is evaluation/demo versions of commercial packages with no source. There is also Artistic License stuff, etc. If you want only GPL, try the Debian distribution. They are the closest. Jeffrey Quoting FlavusSnow@aol.com <FlavusSnow@aol.com>:
As I understand it, most distributions of Linux are offered free. SuSE offers an evaluation version which only runs off of a CD and is extremely slow. Is there any way for me to download a non-evaluation version of SuSE from their FTP, or must I purchase the distribution? If purchasing is the only way of getting a non-evaluation copy of SuSE's distribution, is this in accordance with the GNU public license?
-- I don't do Windows and I don't come to work before nine. -- Johnny Paycheck
participants (4)
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Ben Rosenberg -
FlavusSnow＠aol.com -
Jeffrey Taylor -
Victor R. Cardona