WTF? isnt linux free...how come lindows isnt?

Cycopath81090 · 08-20-2003, 09:31 PM

y does lindows cost money? n e 1 kno y they can do that. i own a copy. its ok... i woodnt pay for it if i was u. [offer deleted]

leonscape · 08-20-2003, 09:37 PM

Its not illegal to sell Linux CD's or support services, or Manuals.

Or sell your own software and supply a copy of linux to run it on.

darthtux · 08-20-2003, 09:44 PM

If they've made any changes to the GPL software, then they are in copyright violation for not providing the source to what they have changed.

If they haven't made any changes, they can sell it.

Personally, I don't like Lindows or how they operate. I am thinking about buying a Lindows PC from wal-mart. The first thing I'm going to do is wipe it and install Red Hat.

Cycopath81090 · 08-20-2003, 09:48 PM

good idea.......i dont like lindows eather, but arent they supposta supply it to every1 4free(by this i mean a free download and sell it on cd)

Cycopath81090 · 08-20-2003, 09:49 PM

about what leonsacpe said, wut software they selling?

by the way i woodnt buy lindows

leonscape · 08-20-2003, 09:54 PM

Probably an installer, or stuff like that...

Trinity22 · 08-20-2003, 09:58 PM

the only two linux companies that give me microsoft-like willies are lindows and redhat. lindows because it seems like they are trying to dumb down linux (does it really need to be dumbed down?) and redhat seems to be going corporate.

but i thought there was another thread that said that lindows had to responsibility to give out the code for free, something about that gnu license or something. blood sugar must be affecting my memory.

trinity

gargamel237 · 08-21-2003, 01:30 AM

its my understanding that if you are a lindows customer you have the right to demand the source code to any gpl'd software in the distro. other stuff, they dont have to give you.

Dan46628 · 08-21-2003, 02:45 AM

I thought about buying a lindows system from walmart, but from the research I can find it is a proprietory system leaving little room for upgrading, and I am not sure whether there will be compatibility problems with a distribution other than lindows...? I am having a hard time researching into how lindows works, they are not very helpful in telling what is open or closed source in their package.

Proud · 08-22-2003, 01:48 AM

Just get Mandrake 9.1, lindows does dumb things like by default use a root gui.

IIRC you can sell the GPL software on cds, but have to provide the source if requested too. Again I think you can charge for the actual cds.

ezra143 · 08-22-2003, 07:42 PM

in my understanding, what you are really paying for is the compilation the CD. Not actually the OS. Kinda like if you payed your friend to make you a mix CD. Only the MP3's arent copy protected.

lokee · 08-22-2003, 09:19 PM

If something is "Free" software it doesn't mean it's free of charge(as in free beer), it means you can make any change you want to the code(as in free speech) .