[SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
Hello, This is my first post. I hope this is a good question. There is a business in Sydney that is re-branding SME (contribs.org aka e-smith) and claiming it as there own. What (if any) is the best course of action to take against this company? A bit more information. This company sells pre-installed SMEserver linux boxes and sells support. I know that is not a crime and i know rebranding some FOSS software isnt a crime also but the bad part is that they claim they developed the software inhouse. They prey on the NOT linux-savvy and their ignorance to the technology. They also do a very poor job of supporting the product. I am not sure of the appropriateness of posting the companies details here but I will do so if enough people think it is appropriate. Also I have alot more information regarding there services. Thanks for your time, Jeff Grima -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 17:53 +1000, Jeff Grima wrote: Hello, This is my first post. I hope this is a good question. There is a business in Sydney that is re-branding SME (contribs.org aka e-smith) and claiming it as there own. What (if any) is the best course of action to take against this company? A bit more information. This company sells pre-installed SMEserver linux boxes and sells support. I know that is not a crime and i know rebranding some FOSS software isnt a crime also but the bad part is that they claim they developed the software inhouse. They prey on the NOT linux-savvy and their ignorance to the technology. They also do a very poor job of supporting the product. I am not sure of the appropriateness of posting the companies details here but I will do so if enough people think it is appropriate. Also I have alot more information regarding there services. Thanks for your time, Jeff Grima It depends on what license the software was released under. If it's the GPL then the company has to provide the source along with the servers as well as keeping all copyright attributions. There may be a case for deceptive practices if they have removed copyright notices and replaced them with their own. Have you tried talking with the company and finding out whether or not they are planning on meeting their requirements under the license? -- James Purser http://k-sit.com Skype: purserj1977 -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
On Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 18:34:26 +1000, James Purser wrote: On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 17:53 +1000, Jeff Grima wrote: Hello, This is my first post. I hope this is a good question. There is a business in Sydney that is re-branding SME (contribs.org aka e-smith) and claiming it as there own. What (if any) is the best course of action to take against this company? A bit more information. This company sells pre-installed SMEserver linux boxes and sells support. I know that is not a crime and i know rebranding some FOSS software isnt a crime also but the bad part is that they claim they developed the software inhouse. They prey on the NOT linux-savvy and their ignorance to the technology. They also do a very poor job of supporting the product. I am not sure of the appropriateness of posting the companies details here but I will do so if enough people think it is appropriate. Also I have alot more information regarding there services. Thanks for your time, Jeff Grima It depends on what license the software was released under. If it's the GPL then the company has to provide the source along with the servers as well as keeping all copyright attributions. That is not true. It needs to make the source available to those that purchase the server. That is different to providing it. Cheers, Benno -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
I am doing some further investigation into this, What are the things to look for? So far I am looking for; The removal of copyright/copyleft text Changes to the code and selling it without providing source On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 19:13 +1000, Benno wrote: On Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 18:34:26 +1000, James Purser wrote: On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 17:53 +1000, Jeff Grima wrote: Hello, This is my first post. I hope this is a good question. There is a business in Sydney that is re-branding SME (contribs.org aka e-smith) and claiming it as there own. What (if any) is the best course of action to take against this company? A bit more information. This company sells pre-installed SMEserver linux boxes and sells support. I know that is not a crime and i know rebranding some FOSS software isnt a crime also but the bad part is that they claim they developed the software inhouse. They prey on the NOT linux-savvy and their ignorance to the technology. They also do a very poor job of supporting the product. I am not sure of the appropriateness of posting the companies details here but I will do so if enough people think it is appropriate. Also I have alot more information regarding there services. Thanks for your time, Jeff Grima It depends on what license the software was released under. If it's the GPL then the company has to provide the source along with the servers as well as keeping all copyright attributions. That is not true. It needs to make the source available to those that purchase the server. That is different to providing it. Cheers, Benno -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
On 26/7/2005, Jeff Grima [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am doing some further investigation into this, What are the things to look for? So far I am looking for; The removal of copyright/copyleft text This is the most serious. Changes to the code and selling it without providing source No, redistributing ANY GPL code, including code modified by them, without making the source available (not necessarily providing it). -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
On Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 10:24:26 +0100, Rev Simon Rumble wrote: On 26/7/2005, Jeff Grima [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am doing some further investigation into this, What are the things to look for? So far I am looking for; The removal of copyright/copyleft text This is the most serious. Changes to the code and selling it without providing source No, redistributing ANY GPL code, including code modified by them, without making the source available (not necessarily providing it). But they only need to make it available to customers. So to know this you would have to actually have purchased a server and asked for the code. -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
Thanks, Before this gets into a debate about the GPL I want to just clarify that SMEserver is distributed under the GPL see; http://www.contribs.org/contribs/bobk/SME_Manual/chpt-01.2.html and is actually in the web interface, so if that is removed we have a problem. also this site puts it plain and simple about the gpl. http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-violation.html I am not saying the companies name right now but will be tomorrow.. I just want to ring and hear him say he made the software first person as I have only heard of them saying it via third person. thanks On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 10:24 +0100, Rev Simon Rumble wrote: On 26/7/2005, Jeff Grima [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am doing some further investigation into this, What are the things to look for? So far I am looking for; The removal of copyright/copyleft text This is the most serious. Changes to the code and selling it without providing source No, redistributing ANY GPL code, including code modified by them, without making the source available (not necessarily providing it). -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
RE: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
I deal with a company that does this, may be the one referred to here, not sure until a name is given, however in the Support, Warranty and Licence information is this statement: Communications Server contains hundreds of individual software components, such as linux Redhat and e-smith server, each of which was written individually and copyrighted individually. All this software is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License which allows you to copy, distribute or modify the software subject to GNU General Public License. All the individual software components, taken together constitute the Software Programs. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jeff Grima Sent: Tue, 26. July 2005 7:32 PM To: Rev Simon Rumble Cc: slug@slug.org.au Subject: Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it Thanks, Before this gets into a debate about the GPL I want to just clarify that SMEserver is distributed under the GPL see; http://www.contribs.org/contribs/bobk/SME_Manual/chpt-01.2.html and is actually in the web interface, so if that is removed we have a problem. also this site puts it plain and simple about the gpl. http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-violation.html I am not saying the companies name right now but will be tomorrow.. I just want to ring and hear him say he made the software first person as I have only heard of them saying it via third person. thanks On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 10:24 +0100, Rev Simon Rumble wrote: On 26/7/2005, Jeff Grima [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am doing some further investigation into this, What are the things to look for? So far I am looking for; The removal of copyright/copyleft text This is the most serious. Changes to the code and selling it without providing source No, redistributing ANY GPL code, including code modified by them, without making the source available (not necessarily providing it). -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html _ ella for Spam Control has removed 146 Spam messages and set aside 211 Later for me You can use it too - and it's FREE! www.ellaforspam.com -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
On Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 19:32:16 +1000, Jeff Grima wrote: Thanks, Before this gets into a debate about the GPL I want to just clarify that SMEserver is distributed under the GPL see; http://www.contribs.org/contribs/bobk/SME_Manual/chpt-01.2.html and is actually in the web interface, so if that is removed we have a problem. also this site puts it plain and simple about the gpl. http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-violation.html I am not saying the companies name right now but will be tomorrow.. I just want to ring and hear him say he made the software first person as I have only heard of them saying it via third person. Are you actually a customer of the company though? There is no way you can check any of those facts unless you have actually purchased something from the company. Benno -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
I my self am not a customer but I know someone who is. On Tue, 2005-07-26 at 20:29 +1000, Benno wrote: On Tue Jul 26, 2005 at 19:32:16 +1000, Jeff Grima wrote: Thanks, Before this gets into a debate about the GPL I want to just clarify that SMEserver is distributed under the GPL see; http://www.contribs.org/contribs/bobk/SME_Manual/chpt-01.2.html and is actually in the web interface, so if that is removed we have a problem. also this site puts it plain and simple about the gpl. http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-violation.html I am not saying the companies name right now but will be tomorrow.. I just want to ring and hear him say he made the software first person as I have only heard of them saying it via third person. Are you actually a customer of the company though? There is no way you can check any of those facts unless you have actually purchased something from the company. Benno -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Company rebranding FOSS and selling it
Hi In the issue 07/2005 of the Linux Magazin (German issue) there is a story about Harald Welte who developed some stuff of the netfilter (netfilter.org). He sued a lot of companies which violates the GPL when they put the netfilter in their router. He started gpl-violations.org ; maybe there are some hints. Cheers, Thomas Am Dienstag, 26. Juli 2005 09:53 schrieb Jeff Grima: Hello, This is my first post. I hope this is a good question. There is a business in Sydney that is re-branding SME (contribs.org aka e-smith) and claiming it as there own. What (if any) is the best course of action to take against this company? A bit more information. This company sells pre-installed SMEserver linux boxes and sells support. I know that is not a crime and i know rebranding some FOSS software isnt a crime also but the bad part is that they claim they developed the software inhouse. They prey on the NOT linux-savvy and their ignorance to the technology. They also do a very poor job of supporting the product. I am not sure of the appropriateness of posting the companies details here but I will do so if enough people think it is appropriate. Also I have alot more information regarding there services. Thanks for your time, Jeff Grima -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
