--- Twayne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Unfortunately ethics has little to do with legality.
> If they uphold their end of the bargain, e.g. follow
> the licensing rules, nothing can be done except make
> it known they're doing it.
>
> IMO the license should state that downloads will be
> forever free regardless of who offers it, and if
> selling it on CD, must also provide free download.
As Richard Stallman so eloquently put it, "Free
software" is free as in "Free speech", not as in "Free
beer". If customers of Opal Office bothered to read
the GPL, which is mentioned on the web site for Opal
Office, they should be able to figure out that they
can, in fact, download the software and source free of
charge.
I do sympathise with people who have been ripped off,
but the old usenet put-down of RTFM does have some
relevance here. I always look at offers of cheap
software very carefully - like vendors of software
normally costing thousands of dollars for 30 bux.
Strangely, these people mostly seem to reside in
Eastern Europe. I never transferred any money to
these supposed pirates and hackers, since what they
probably supply is nothing! Caveat Emptor!
Colin.
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