Kein Ende wrote:
hi folks,
before a few days i thought, that all software licenced under gnu/gpl is free.
Free has many meanings. I suggest you read at www.gnu.org "Free as in Freedom".
Nothing in the GPL forbids charging for GPL software.
However, once one person (having paid) has received the software they are granted the freedoms of the GPL which do permit that person to further distribute the software without charge if they desire; and also they are granted access to the source (according to the GPL) and which they are required to make available if they distribute the binaries.
So, in short, if it really bothers you, go ahead and pay for support and then release the source "for free."
I don't think this is desirable though, I think it is enough that those who buy the product are kept free and not tied with vendor lock-in and proprietaryness.
As a final point if the distributor is the total copyright holder or has the co-operation of the copyright holders then they can take their own work (of which earlier releases may have been GPL) and release that work under a different license - this by virtue of owning the copyright - for after all the GPL is merely a conditional grant of extra rights that the copyright holders already possess without condition.
Sam
oscommerce is free
xt-commerce is free, in 2nd release. the 3rd release is only available, if you pay for support, to get a login to the sponsor-area.
is this gnu/gpl conform?
*sorry 4 my english :-)