Selling open source software?

[Darrin]

I was reading the latest Michael Robertson (http://www.michaelrobertson.com/archive.php?minute_id=195) newsletter.
So, is he basically in the process of selling Open source software (http://comparesoft.com/products.html)?
That just doesnt seem right.

[Brunellus]

it's perfectly right. nothing in the GPL prevents FOSS from being sold.

[DJ_Max]

it's perfectly right. nothing in the GPL prevents FOSS from being sold.
The point that you must not take GPL sourcecode, build software from it and sell it without shipping the modified sourcecode. As long as he's doing that it's fine.

[ssam]

there is nothing to stop anyone taken all the opensource bits of linspire, compiling them and giving them away for free. as linspire is mostly debian, and so is ubuntu then you could say ubuntu is already doing that.

you are really paying for the support, the hosting/bandwidth, the non-free bits (i think there are things like tutorial videos, wma codecs, etc).

have a look at the bit about freespire at the bottom of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/linspire .

[Kvark]

It is ok as long as anyone else can offer the same FOSS apps. If he would establish and enforce monopoly on improving and distributing a specific FOSS app then it would not be ok.

[BWF89]

What's the big deal about charing for open source software? Even the FSF sells their software.


@ $ 5,000 Deluxe Distribution Package
All the GNU software custom compiled for your computing platform
and one copy of all printed manuals.

https://agia.fsf.org/order/ .

EDIT: and besides, until they start selling oss software commercially on the shelves of BestBuy and CompUSA it's never going to hit the mainstream.

[Darrin]

Got to admit though. When and if this stuff hits the store shelves. At least people will know there is something else out there besides MS Office or Photoshop. The video demos look pretty nice btw.

[Brunellus]

H'mm. Windows ports of FOSS on the shelves, but with better integration into Windows (widgets and whatnot). It could happen.

But I like the present lack of charging that generally prevails. It certainly brought me into the fold. Would I be as ready to jump into Linux if I had paid for WinGIMP? probably not...