Is there a Legal version of Puppy Linux?

[Sand Lee]

I really enjoy using Puppy Linux because of its speed. However, because of its preinstalled codecs and proprietary firmware I don't believe I can use it in the U.S. ](*,)

Is there a version of Puppy Linux that doesn't include these packages?
Or, is there an alternate distro that boots and works just as fast?

[JT9161]

I don't believe I can use it in the U.S. ](*,)


Why in thee world would you think that? Puppy Linux is perfectly legal in the US .

[Sand Lee]

It has wma codecs and broadcom firmware installed (which ubuntu doesn't include). There's probably more - I have yet to find out though.

[darrelljon]

Its legal to use copyrighted freeware (such as proprietary codecs like WMA) as an end-user, just not legal to distribute it without the copyright owners permission in certain jurisdictions. If the copyright holder chooses to enforce their rights it would be against servers.

[Twitch6000]

Its legal to use copyrighted freeware (such as proprietary codecs like WMA) as an end-user, just not legal to distribute it without the copyright owners permission.

Well some people ave never gotten that through their heads due to all the random bullcrap the U.S.A has said.Lovely isn't it :(?

[Sand Lee]

Its legal to use copyrighted freeware (such as proprietary codecs like WMA) as an end-user, just not legal to distribute it without the copyright owners permission in certain jurisdictions. If the copyright holder chooses to enforce their rights it would be against servers.

Citation? How do we know the PL makers received permission?

Well some people ave never gotten that through their heads due to all the random bullcrap the U.S.A has said.Lovely isn't it :(?

Yea, I guess I'm in that crowd. I'm kinda paranoid - not about the proper officials coming after me, but about me breaking the law [-o<
I'd be just fine if I had a definitive (or almost) guide to copyright laws, proprietary software, and linux.

[dptxp]

Get the barebones Puppy.

[heartburnkid]

Citation? How do we know the PL makers received permission?

Doesn't matter. Even if they were breaking the law by distributing the software, you are not breaking the law by receiving it.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Legal is such a funny word these days, me I ignore such things as they are redundant.
but using Puppy is pretty legal, really yes it has a lot of codecs and such but technically if you had windows on your computer at one time you have the rights to its formats.

[DouglasAWh]

Legal is such a funny word these days....
technically if you had windows on your computer at one time you have the rights to its formats.

You know, assuming that copy of Windows is legal. :)

[SunnyRabbiera]

true enough.

[kerry_s]

have you tried DSL?
http://damnsmalllinux.org/

i don't think they use codecs and flash is also not installed.

[smoker]

Q: What are the legal details? Can you please explain to me more clearly the copyright, trademark and any other restrictions of Puppy?
A:

Puppy has software with a variety of licences, mostly GPL or LGPL, some closed-source (but free). The "Help" page (/usr/share/doc/index.html) in every release of Puppy has this statement:
http://www.puppylinux.com/faq.htm

this is from the puppy faq page, hope it helps,

[wolfen69]

I really enjoy using Puppy Linux because of its speed. However, because of its preinstalled codecs and proprietary firmware I don't believe I can use it in the U.S. ](*,)

Is there a version of Puppy Linux that doesn't include these packages?
Or, is there an alternate distro that boots and works just as fast?

lock your doors, and close your shades. better yet, just move out of the country. by downloading puppy, you have commited a major crime. punishable by 10 yrs hard labor. i cant believe people would even consider downloading a distro pre-loaded with codecs. but i guess desperate times yield desperate measures.

please, for the love of god and family, wipe your computer clean while you still have a chance. if you manage to escape the Codec Police, please, please use nothing but 100% open source software like gobuntu. please dont bring down the whole linux community by committing such an egregious act of defiance. if you did not personally hand over money to the proper authorities, you have no right to use any codec. i for one, will report you. you have been warned. :) j/k

[Sand Lee]

I lost a super-long post after losing power to my lappie. I don't feel like reposting it so here goes:
I've emailed puppylinux, zenwalk, and vectorlinux about licensed software, I'll post or paraphrase their responses as soon as I get them.

I've noticed puppy boots slower than my winxp partition (17 seconds); thus defeating the purpose of having it. So I'll stick with triple booting WinXP, Ubuntu Stable and Testing.

:guitar:

...and I'll be pressed if the codec police could find me in my cloak

[smoker]

I've noticed puppy boots slower than my winxp partition (17 seconds); thus defeating the purpose of having it. So I'll stick with triple booting WinXP, Ubuntu Stable and Testing.

i don't why your puppy is so slow, when i used it (a while ago, though), it was the fastest operating system ever, loaded straight into ram!

[dptxp]

Live Cds take time to load.
Once loaded, puppy is damn fast.

News Flash
They all are looking for good lawers. Some websites may not exist tomorrow. :)

[Sand Lee]

Live Cds take time to load.
Once loaded, puppy is damn fast.

I've installed it Frugally and to my hard drive, and it still takes a while to boot. Most of it is loading the settings from the sfs file.. :(

[dptxp]

It fully loads into RAM first. That takes time. But that makes it so fast to run.

[misfitpierce]

You can use anything regardless and in the 1 billionth chance you get in trouble for something just say... "me not know computers and thought was free... I not know... :(" lol

[jacob01]

its pretty hard to not do something illegal with al these laws and restrictions out there, but most are not enforced to heavily, or at all. :lolflag:

[wolfen69]

its pretty hard to not do something illegal with al these laws and restrictions out there, but most are not enforced to heavily, or at all. :lolflag:

i think you would be hard pressed to find someone who got busted because of downloading a distro with codecs pre-installed. i could see getting in trouble if you were distributing a distro with codecs in the US. even then it might only be a slap on the wrist.

[tashmooclam]

I think teenpup looks cool. I believe in law and order, but I really think it's totally OK to download and use it even if you are in the USA. Have fun.

[darrelljon]

If you really concerned about permission there's two solutions;
Read the license of every bit of software you install like Opera, Flash, Broadcom chipset drivers.

Or go with a completely free Linux distro like Gobuntu and don't use Flash (that excludes Youtube), or use Google Earth, or VLC (I think) ever again.

[bohica8418]

sorry to be a noob on legality, but does that mean VideoLan is illegal? I plays nearly anything and has an extensive list of codecs. Does anyone know? it seems a little ridiculous that it could be.

[Hallvor]

VLC contains codecs, so it should be illegal to distribute in the USA. Other countries have different laws, making it perfectly legal.

Secondly, I just don`t get the "OMG, is this illegal?" attitude. Even if it may be illegal to distribute in some countries it does not mean it is illegal to use as an end user. And even if it was, I don`t think Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and the FBI will knock down your door at 3 AM in the morning and drag you off to jail.

[darrelljon]

Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer WANT end-users to use WMV codec for example but they want to control its distribution. Some countries don't recognise limits on distribution as legally binding and instead regard it as constituting fair use.

[Saint Angeles]

all linux users are pirates.

sorry for the bad news.

[bohica8418]

Eww at least let me pretend im not breaking the law!

[Dr Small]

all linux users are pirates.

sorry for the bad news.
Please don't sterotype....
There's bound to be some non-pirating Linux users... around here somewhere :D

[bohica8418]

if you see any tell me!
Ahh for post counts :(
am I being unsubtle?
Its cause I dont think I actually hav much useful to say :\

[rarsa]

If it is not illegal to distribute the codecs in Australia then every version of Puppy is Legal.

Period, no more discussion.

If your House Representatives don't know that they went against the constitution when approving DRM and blocking your right to use your information the way you see fit, then take it with them, not with Puppy.

Music and video are information. If you record some video or music and the recorder generates AVI or WMA, you should have all the right in the world to access that information without having to ask for permission. If they made it illegal in the US then you failed to defend your freedom.

[cmay]

in Denmark where i live all these codecs and stuff should be complete legal. correct me if i am wrong but i think that the reason why ubuntu has left out some great extra packages for many people is that there is apparently more users that can not get the ubuntu cd legal then. and that is far more important than having to say to some users that the nice extra codecs and stuff is available trough synaptic than to rule out an potential userbase. i can live with that.