On 9/25/05, jdd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Andre Truter wrote: > > > The main difference that I see is that OpenSuSE will not include the > > proprietary stuff on the downloadable iso images. If you need them, > > you need to get them from non-Novell sources, which you add to YaST. > > and as you have to download the iso images, you can as well > do the same for proprietary stuff if you want so... >
There is a difference between including something on a CD (or iso image, which is basically still a CD - just an image if it) and making files available for download. I know that the OpenOffice people here in SA had problems with including java on a CD that contains OpenOffice. The java license prohibits it. You need to jump through a bunch of hoops. And then the other point is that if openSuSE included proprietary stuff as part of the iso, it would not be open anymore, as it contains parts that are not open, then it will just be SuSE. There is an issue with calling something OpenSource if it includes non-OSS parts. It is legally not OpenSource anymore as the licenses of the closed-source parts disqualifies it. This might sound like splitting hairs, but lots of people will take you on if you call someting OpenSource and it is not. I am not sure if there are serious legal implications there, but I am sure Bruce Perens will have something to say about it and ESR do own a lot of guns... :-) -- Andre Truter | Software Engineer | Registered Linux user #185282 ICQ #40935899 | AIM: trusoftzaf | http://www.trusoft.za.org ~ A dinosaur is a salamander designed to Mil Spec ~ --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
