Okies, here's my short comment on this issue: 1. Berni, you work for non profits, so do I. The license says: "You may make and use unlimited copies of the Software for Your distribution and use within Your Organization." I say: Get someone from that non profit to download OpenSUSE for use within their organization. You will provide the additional value added services that will allow them to make proper use of OpenSUSE. It's a simple business model that I realize you guys have failed to think of. In my opinion it falls very nicely under the license quoted below. I will do the same for my non profits. Stop whining and think. Why would you provide OpenSUSE as part of your support if you provide it freely? If you provided it freely anyways, why would you care if it's you downloading the software and distributing it within that organization or is someone from that organization doing it within the legal boundaries of that organization? You offer your installation/support service anyway and charge for it and this part doesn't change regardless of the way that OpenSUSE reaches within that organization. And another one: If you wanna make Novell/SUSE part of your business, benefit from its branding and from its added value, simply become an authorized Novell Business Partner. This will allow you to use the Novell/SUSE brand and also to re-sell it. Daniel Berni Elbourn wrote:
Here's the statement which everyone must agree to while installing:
"The Software is a collective work of Novell. You may make and use unlimited copies of the Software for Your distribution and use within Your Organization. You may make and distribute unlimited copies of the Software outside Your organization provided that: 1) You receive no consideration; and, 2) you do not bundle or combine the Software with another offering (e.g., software, hardware, or service). The term "Organization" means a legal entity, excluding subsidiaries and affiliates with a separate existence for tax purposes or for legal personality purposes. An example of an Organization in the private sector would be a corporation, partnership, or trust, excluding any subsidiaries or affiliates of the organization with a separate tax identification number or company registration number. In the public sector, an example of Organization would be a specific government body or local government authority."
The main question for me as a service provider is to ask if I can provide downloaded Suse to my customers as part of an installation or support service?
I did have this permission from the previous Suse organisation which is why I am here now!
Berni