Bob Harris wrote: > I did not get this program for free, I purchased it over EBay and it came > from the USA.
Free can mean one of two things: * Libre: * Gratis; 1: Libre The Free Software Foundation has defined "Libre Software" as that which meets the Four Freedoms. * The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0). * The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this. * The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour (freedom 2). * The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this. Debian-Legal, to determine whether or not software meets _The Debian Free Software Guidelines_, has devised the following tests: * "The Desert Island Test". Imagine a castaway on a desert island with a solar-powered computer with an Internet connection that can't upload. This would make it impossible to fulfil any requirement to make changes publicly available or to send patches to some particular place. This holds even if such requirements are only upon request, as the castaway might be able to receive messages but be unable to send them. To be free, software must be modifiable by this unfortunate castaway, who must also be able to legally share modifications with friends on the island. * "The Dissident Test". Consider a dissident in a totalitarian state who wishes to share a modified bit of software with fellow dissidents, but does not wish to reveal the identity of the modifier, or directly reveal the modifications themselves, or even possession of the program, to the government. Any requirement for sending source modifications to anyone other than the recipient of the modified binary. In fact, any forced distribution at all, beyond giving source to those who receive a copy of the binary would put the dissident in danger. For Debian to consider software Free it must not require any such excess distribution. * "The Tentacles of Evil Test". Imagine that the author is hired by a large evil corporation and, now in their thrall, attempts to do the worst to the users of the program: to make their lives miserable, to make them stop using the program, to expose them to legal liability, to make the program non-free, to discover their secrets, etc. The same can happen to a corporation bought out by a larger corporation bent on destroying free software in order to maintain its monopoly and extend its evil empire. The license cannot allow even the author to take away the required freedoms. Some people who work with content have added the following test: * DRM Dave's Hardware Platform: Can Bob & Alice upload non-DRM content? Can Bob & Alice download non-DRM content? Can Bob & Alice download DRM content? Can Bob & Alice upload third party DRM content? Can Bob & Alice download third party non-DRM content? Can Bob & Alice play first party non-DRM content? Can Bob & Alice play third party non-DRM content? Can Bob & Alice play third party DRM content? If all of those conditions are met, then it is Libre. 2: Gratis Whilst software that is Libre can be distributed Gratis, there is no requirement to do so. A major issue with FLOSS is the creation of a viable revenue stream through product sales. The person you sell FLOSS to, can turn around and burn a million CDs, either selling them for whatever price they so desire, or just giving them away. OOo is distributed under the GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 2.1, February 1999. As such, it meets the requirement of Libre. You can download OOo for free(gratis_ from http://download.openoffice.org/index.html. * There are vendors who will charge for downloading the program from their website; * There are vendors who will charge for the CD or DVD; * There are vendors who will charge a per seat license fee; How much you pay has no bearing on the amount, or type of support you receive. I've seen CD vendors charge $0.99 and provide one hour telephone support. I've seen CD vendors charge $500.00 and provide no support at all. TANSTAAFL: There is the implication with FLOSS that one will support the community. The Debian Social Contract is the best known of the formally defined "contracts". xan jonathon --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
