Can anyone sell copied linux cd's?

Inf

Or is there some sort of licence required?
just wondering

Hobbes

from linux.org

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
Linux is developed under the GNU General Public License and its source code is freely available to everyone. This however, doesn't mean that Linux and its assorted distributions are free -- companies and developers may charge money for it as long as the source code remains available. Linux may be used for a wide variety of purposes including networking, software development, and as an end-user platform. Linux is often considered an excellent, low-cost alternative to other more expensive operating systems. </font>

OR better yet (from the GNU public license)..

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee. </font>

So basically the software is free, you can charge for your service of creating the CD and/or your support service.

Redhat for example supply binaries+source, manuals and you get full access to thier support system which also includes checking your machine and auto-updating files. For someone who would have no clue where to look this is pretty good service for the price.

However you would be on crack to charge $10+ for just a CD copy of the software.

Inf

Thx, i just read this http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html aswell and was amazed to see that they "advise you to charge as much as you can make"

Hobbes

Well he is making the assumption that you are actually doing the development work on the software you are selling under that license.

Not just leeching off someone elses work and expecting to get top dollar for just cutting a CD and not supporting it.

dahamsta

You mileage may vary. As an example, you couldn't take the full contents of a Red Hat 7.1 Professional distro and burn and sell it, because some of the applications may be released under more restrictive licences. Star Office would be an example I reckon, which is released under the Sun licence, which is quite a bit more restrictive that the GNU GPL. There's other rules too - for example you can't pass the software off as your own and you have to credit the distie.

Go ahead and do it, just make sure you don't leave yourself open to getting all the lovely money you make taken back off you.

adam

terano

At the moment I'm selling linux /bsd /general unix cd's for cost price (cd).
Anything to beet MS
PS if any of you lot want unix distros from the free binary version of solaris to bsd to custom made distros drop me a line D_Jazzman@hotmail.com.

smoke.me.a.kipper

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by terano:
At the moment I'm selling linux /bsd /general unix cd's for cost price (cd).
Anything to beet MS
PS if any of you lot want unix distros from the free binary version of solaris to bsd to custom made distros drop me a line D_Jazzman@hotmail.com.</font>

i want to know how the fuck you got a custom avatar!!

---

i invented '.com'

Hobbes

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by smoke-me-a-kipper:
i want to know how the fuck you got a custom avatar!!</font>

Pyske!

Inf

Thx for the help guys.