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View Full Version : Any Legal Issues with use of Ubuntu Linux?



kubc
February 25th, 2006, 01:48 AM
I have a question about legal & licensing issues with bundling Ubuntu Linux with our own hardware and software for comercial purpose. What we want to do is to install Ubuntu on each of our customerly-built boxes together with our own application software for sale. We are basically not selling Ubuntu Linux even though it will be used as the operating system.

I'm wondering if there are any legal restrictions involved in doing this. I would appreciate very much any suggestions and comments.

Thanks.

Stormy Eyes
February 25th, 2006, 01:54 AM
As far as I know, you are welcome to do this. You might want to contact Canonical, Ltd. to be sure, though, as I do not work for Canonical and I am not a lawyer.

mstlyevil
February 25th, 2006, 01:58 AM
As long as you do not add the proprietary software or codecs without proper licensing then it should be perfectly legal. If you have customers that want those things then you need to sell them Xandros or Linspire preloaded on the boxes as a option. You should make it clear why there is a price difference between the Ubuntu boxes and that if they are willing to add those things themselves they can save some money on their pc.

Trab
February 25th, 2006, 02:02 AM
so long as u dont sell ubuntu itself (like try to claim the code as your own) it shouldnt be an issue...
there are SOME things u cant install (the w32codecs, and other things) legally, because they are owned by microsoft... but users who own windows already, are allowed to install them themselves (like automatix)

i have to tell you, im VERY happy to hear someone is gonna preload ubuntu on a box, hopefully configured for yes? it will help spread linux, so long as you dont charge for the os itself, it is GRAND!

mstlyevil
February 25th, 2006, 02:09 AM
so long as u dont sell ubuntu itself (like try to claim the code as your own) it shouldnt be an issue...
there are SOME things u cant install (the w32codecs, and other things) legally, because they are owned by microsoft... but users who own windows already, are allowed to install them themselves (like automatix)

i have to tell you, im VERY happy to hear someone is gonna preload ubuntu on a box, hopefully configured for yes? it will help spread linux, so long as you dont charge for the os itself, it is GRAND!

Actually you can sell Ubuntu. There are people that are doing just that right now for those without an internet connection or who are on dial up so they do not have to wait a month or more for the CD to be shipped to them.

kubc
February 25th, 2006, 02:26 AM
Hi Trap. We're not going to need things that are not GPL licensed. Therefore preloading Ubuntu to a box sounds like not a problem if I understand correctly.

Hi, mstlyevil. From what you said, we are perfectly legal to do what we intended to do, aren't we? However, I still think Stormy Eyes had a very good point. We may need to contact Canonical, Ltd. to be sure. This may involve some legal issues.

As far as I know, with Open SuSE Linux, although it's GPL'ed open source software, one still needs to abide by Novell's SuSE Linux license terms, which don't allow you to bundle other hardware and software with SuSE, and needs permission from Novell for redistribution.

Any other suggestions?

mstlyevil
February 25th, 2006, 02:54 AM
Hi Trap. We're not going to need things that are not GPL licensed. Therefore preloading Ubuntu to a box sounds like not a problem if I understand correctly.

Hi, mstlyevil. From what you said, we are perfectly legal to do what we intended to do, aren't we? However, I still think Stormy Eyes had a very good point. We may need to contact Canonical, Ltd. to be sure. This may involve some legal issues.

As far as I know, with Open SuSE Linux, although it's GPL'ed open source software, one still needs to abide by Novell's SuSE Linux license terms, which don't allow you to bundle other hardware and software with SuSE, and needs permission from Novell for redistribution.

Any other suggestions?

Xandros and Linspire are not associated with Novell and they include Flash, Realplayer, J2RE, and the codecs out of the box. These have all been licensed already by those companies so this might be a solution for those customers that might have legal concerns about installing these things themselves.

Stormy's reply is sound and that would be a good Idea to contact Canonical to make sure you don't violate the law before preloading Ubuntu on your PC's.

Kvark
February 25th, 2006, 03:07 AM
Canonical owns the trademark "Ubuntu" and the Ubuntu logo so check their policy for how you are allowed to use their trademarks. I'm pretty sure I saw the policy somewhere on their website.

Novell probably bases the restrictions you mentioned on the use of their trademarks and perhaps propriarity additons like codecs. One could get around it by making a fork of SuSE, removing all propriarity parts and completely re-branding the fork.

As for the software itself. You can sell GPLed software but you can't deny anyone else the right to sell it or give it away so people will go somewhere else if the extra value you provide besides the software is not worth your price. You can even mix GPLed software and propriarity software in the same bundle. You just can't make GPLed code and other code work together in the same program.

Kamchatka
February 25th, 2006, 03:50 AM
Good question and I answer with a question. Any legal problems with a certain "Fruit" Company marketing 30 GB MP3 players *portable hard drives* and the users/owners of these devices flipping about 10K of music files from venue to venue uploading, exchanging, selling, blah, blah. A certain worldwide auction site -Bay has forbid the sale of these devices because they may be loaded with copyrighted music in violation of existing RIAA and US Code Title 18 law. It's always best not to "cross the line" however, my suggestion is (from an old time famous tune) - DO NOTHING TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME, "or" another tune, "IT AIN'T WHAT YOU DO, IT'S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT." Tune in, or tune out, right now, my guess is, that you are not a target. You're on the ball - and wise to be careful. \\:D/

briancurtin
February 25th, 2006, 04:26 AM
feel free to read the licensing terms, which answer these questions.

GTvulse
February 25th, 2006, 04:35 AM
Novell probably bases the restrictions you mentioned on the use of their trademarks and perhaps propriarity additons like codecs. One could get around it by making a fork of SuSE, removing all propriarity parts and completely re-branding the fork.


That would be called OpenSuse Community Edition. Same core, less fluff. It doesn't have prorprietary licensed-for-a-fee, pay-me-my-royalty-fee-please software that is included in Novell Enterprise Desktop, for which you must pay good money for the privilege of owning a copy of the installation media.