Why does open office want me to pay?

[Afkpuz]

So, I went to the open office web site to just look around and I could not find anywhere to download without subscribing for a fee! How is this? I thought it was open source. I went to openoffice.org. Whats going on here?!

[AOZ]

hmmm... i just went to the download site and it only has a note about donating but allows you to download freely (http://download.openoffice.org/contribute.html?download=bouncer&product%3DOpenOffice.org%26os%3Dlinuxintelwjre%26l ang%3Den-US%26version%3D2.4.1)

[jonabyte]

here is the download page..it asks you to donate, but you do not have to, when you click on the download button sometimes it takes a few seconds for the download to occur.

http://download.openoffice.org/index.html

[Afkpuz]

Heres where I went

http://openoffice.org-suite.com/index.asp?aff=101&camp=gg_oo_us&se=google

I was just confused because Google sent me there and that page requires subscription and I thought it was the official page. Apparently, it's not...

[Nano Geek]

Heres where I went

http://openoffice.org-suite.com/index.asp?aff=101&camp=gg_oo_us&se=google

I was just confused because Google sent me there and that page requires subscription and I thought it was the official page. Apparently, it's not...Uh yea, that is not Open Office's website. I would get away from there if I were you.

[Anzan]

We regularly make donations to various projects like OpenOffice.org.

I myself have four machines with OO.o on each. I can't imagine having to deal with MS licenses. Or being able to afford to.

[Le-Froid]

Heres where I went

http://openoffice.org-suite.com/index.asp?aff=101&camp=gg_oo_us&se=google

I was just confused because Google sent me there and that page requires subscription and I thought it was the official page. Apparently, it's not...

Notice that it is a *.org-suite.com website, not openoffice.org's :S

[racoq]

Heres where I went

http://openoffice.org-suite.com/index.asp?aff=101&camp=gg_oo_us&se=google

I was just confused because Google sent me there and that page requires subscription and I thought it was the official page. Apparently, it's not...

This is a scam. It's not even related anyhow with opeonoffice. It is a shame that some people try to earn money, with honest and hardwork from others.

[gunashekar]

Is there a way to report or act against online scams?

[acelin]

Disclaimer: This website has no affiliation whatsoever with the owner of these software programs, and provides only links to the software programs. This software may be obtained freely. New computer users should find our services valuable, and a time saver. If you are an advanced computer user, you probably don't need our services. Membership is for unlimited access to our site's resources. We provide an organized website with software links, technical support,
tutorials and step by step guides.

[dodle]

uh Yea, That Is Not Open Office's Website. I Would Get Away From There If I Were You.

Lol!

[fatality_uk]

It's not a scam, well not as such.
Under the terms of the GPL, they can sell the software if they wish

http://www.openoffice.org/licenses/gpl_license.html


You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee.

Don't know what they are charing, but they can.

[init1]

Not only is this not the official site...
http://openoffice.org-suite.com/images/BOX.gif
They're only distributing the Windows version.
This is the real site
http://www.openoffice.org/

[k@e]

Have you noticed how this site calls the software just "Open Office"? This is actually wrong. That way you can identify suspicious offers because the real thing is called "OpenOffice.org", which coincidentially is also the domain name of the real thing.

[racoq]

It's not a scam, well not as such.
Under the terms of the GPL, they can sell the software if they wish

http://www.openoffice.org/licenses/gpl_license.html



Don't know what they are charing, but they can.

It IS a SCAM. Some sites are doing the same thing with frostwire which is open source and GPL, and here is the opinion of the developers.

http://frostwire.wordpress.com/2007/03/19/dont-get-scammed-frostwire-is-free/

[TBOL3]

Well, I think OOo is a horible name, and if OOo had the rights, they really should change it to Open Office, but alas, they don't.

So, I just call it open office.

[Ozor Mox]

It IS a SCAM. Some sites are doing the same thing with frostwire which is open source and GPL, and here is the opinion of the developers.

http://frostwire.wordpress.com/2007/03/19/dont-get-scammed-frostwire-is-free/

The thing I don't get is if this is a scam, why haven't the owners of OpenOffice, FrostWire etc. shut these websites down? As bad as this is, aren't they conforming to the terms of the GPL, as long as they provide the source code with any binaries once users have completed their "subscription"?

[JetskiDude911]

I agree, get away from that site, lol.

[racoq]

The thing I don't get is if this is a scam, why haven't the owners of OpenOffice, FrostWire etc. shut these websites down? As bad as this is, aren't they conforming to the terms of the GPL, as long as they provide the source code with any binaries once users have completed their "subscription"?

They are charging for services that if you pay you won't ever enjoy, please see the various reply's of people being scammed in the link i have submitted. Here's an example.


Daniel Mason Says:
October 19, 2007 at 6:57 pm

I had to pay 60 bucks for a lifetime subscription and supposedly your spam blockers and virus detector (which I never recieved) so your saying I just got shafted



Yes it is SCAM, since they offer services or, charge fees of services that they will never provide. And certanly frostwire developers will have a deep knowledge of the GPL than you, (although i'm no expert i can recognize a scam when i see it).

[Ozor Mox]

They are charging for services that if you pay you won't ever enjoy, please see the various reply's of people being scammed in the link i have submitted. Here's an example.




Yes it is SCAM, since they offer services or, charge fees of services that they will never provide. And certanly frostwire developers will have a deep knowledge of the GPL than you, (although i'm no expert i can recognize a scam when i see it).

Ok then yes it is a scam. I thought they were just providing the FrostWire software. I did not claim to be an expert on the GPL, but if this sort of thing was a violation of it (just charging a subscription for GPL software, not the other plainly illegal stuff) then you'd have thought OpenOffice, FrostWire, etc. would be able to do more than just warn people about it, since it would be copyright violation.

[tubasoldier]

Google sent you there? What did you search for? certainly not "openoffice" or "openoffice suite" or "open office suite"...all those search terms bring you to the real site.

[tubasoldier]

Google sells adwords to scammers all the time, if you use Google, you're always better off to have Adblock Plus with EasyList+EasyElement installed.

Thats probably why that site didn't come up on my searches.

[Afkpuz]

I can't remember what I searched for, but I feel like I didn't do it through a normal google frontend. You know, like I'm on some website and it has it's own little search bar that says google, so I think I used that. Regardless, I know better than to pay for open office

[k@e]

Well, I think OOo is a horible name, and if OOo had the rights, they really should change it to Open Office, but alas, they don't.

So, I just call it open office.

According to OOo's FAQ (http://www.openoffice.org/FAQs/faq-other.html#4), they cannot ever change its name to "Open Office" as this term is trademarked by another company.