steve wrote: > Pravin Dhayfule wrote: > >> <...snip...> >> Trademark Removal etc are all Programmer Level steps. I am talking from a >> perspective of Sharing the OS with a neighbor to install on his/her system >> as it is received..... Will it be piracy? >> >> > > I think there are a few basic things that you need to understand /before/ you > understand the answers to your questions: > > a. Unlike the proprietary world, FOSS does not distinguish between developer, > user and distributor. Each person receiving FOSS software, has the right to > assume any or all of the three roles. > There is no 'END USER' (for an ELUA to exist). So from that perspective, > you are a distributor if you share something (using a CD, online, pen-drive > ...or any media). > > b. Piracy is the practice of hijacking a naval vessel and plundering it. > Software Piracy is a silly nonsensical term. Software related violations > include > things like copyright violation, trademark infringement and unfortunately > patent > violations ...etc. > >
True! I agree, 'software piracy' is a hilarious misnomer. > Now that we've cleared that up, here is a simplified (IMHO) explanation of > what > everybody already said: > > RHEL == Linux Kernel + GPL/BSD/MIT ...etc licensed Software + Red Hat > trademarks > (artwork etc) > > - How must does the RHEL distro cost ? > * 0/- > > - How does Red Hat make money, if the cost of the RHEL distro is 0 ? > * Subscriptions, trainings, consultancy ...and maybe more. > > - How is the RHEL distro. distrubuted ? > * The sources are available for free on redhat.com and Red Hat provides > CDs/DVDs > of the distro. to it's customers (people who buy subscriptions or undertake > trainings ...etc) > > - Can you ask Red Hat to send you a RHEL distro CD if you are not a Red Hat > customer ? > * No > > - Can you download RHEL sources from Red Hat servers ? > * Yes > > - Can you use the downloaded sources to make a RHEL CD ? > * Yes > > - Can you distribute (including sharing with your neighbor) the CDs you made ? > * Yes ! *IF* you remove all the trademarks from the CDs (so that your > neighbour > is clear about the fact that what she is getting is *not* coming directly > from > Red Hat) > > - If you have received a CD/DVD from Red Hat (because you are a customer), > can > you make /exact/ copies of that CD/DVD and distribute it ? > * No ! That is trademark violation. > > - Instead of making copies, can you use the same CD/DVD you received from Red > Hat to install RHEL on more than one systems ? > * Yes, you can. > > Hope that clarifies everything. If you have more questions, ask here or just > contact Red Hat directly :). > > cheers, > - steve > Very beautifully summarized. Thank you. Regards Kamal -- http://mm.glug-bom.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxers
