[ILUG] SuSE

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Enda (enda at unison.ie):

> You make a basic assumption, as in your last mail, that the CD's are 
> copyrighted. 

I beg your pardon?  There seems to be some extremely grave failure of
communication, here.  

The several CD-ROMs of SuSE Professional Edition and Personal Edition 
contain quite a number of software works.  Those are under various,
diverse licences.  Included among those are a number that are not only
proprietary, but also that _omit_ permission to redistribute (e.g., Star
Office 5.2, VMware, Opera 6.0, Moneydance, Kylix Open Edition, and IBM
Java2).  

>> Can you point it out to me?
> 
> CD1, the file is called COPYING and there is a second version called 
> COPYING.tex , it contains the same licence that is drawn to your attention on 
> the SuSE site:
> http://www.suse.de/uk/support/gpl/

That is, of course, the text of the GNU General Public Licence, version 2.  
Which is the specified licence terms applied by some owners to the 
included copies of their works.  But not, of course, to others including
the proprietary works.

But you have completely failed to answer my question.  Therefore, I
conclude by default that you _cannot_ cite anywhere that SuSE Linux AG
has given permission for redistribution of SuSE Professional Edition and
Personal Edition CD-ROM contents.

>> Can you explain to me how it's possible for SuSE Linux AG to grant
>> third parties permission to freely redistribute Star Office 5.2, VMware,
>> Opera 6.0, Moneydance, Kylix Open Edition, and IBM Java2, which are
>> owned by other companies who do not permit such redistribution?
> 
> SuSE's position on this is that the software is essentially being distributed 
> as demo.

1.  You have not cited where SuSE Linux AG allegedly says this.
2.  However, more to the immediate point, SuSE Linux AG's "position"
    would not be particularly relevant for software that is _not theirs_.

> SuSE does obtain the redistribution right....

Please tell me where I can see this "redistribution right".  I am
increasingly certain that you are severely, extremely mistaken.

> AFAIK you are incorrect when you state that VMware is distributed
> freely with the standard SuSE distro....

I don't know what you mean by "freely" or "standard", but the SuSE Linux
8.0 Professional boxed set does include VMware.  Don't take my word for
it; consult the on-line list of included packages.

> In making this request you are incorrectly making an assumption (which you 
> aired in your first mail in this thread) that the SuSE CD's are copyrighted. 

You appear confused.  Moreover, you are ignoring my questions.

> Again you make an assumption that is wrong, you assume that the third
> party proprietary software is licenced by SuSE for inclusion in their
> distribution, which it is not. 

I'm sorry, but if SuSE Linux AG did _not_ gain permission from the
sundry copyright-holders of Star Office 5.2, VMware, Opera 6.0,
Moneydance, Kylix Open Edition, and IBM Java2, their inclusion in 
SuSE Linux 8.0 Professional Edition and Personal Edition would be
copyright violation -- because none of those products were ever 
made available with permission to redistribute.  Again, don't take my 
word for it:  Pull down copies of that code and see for yourself.

> Hope I didnt disappoint.

Hopes were dashed.  

You appear to be making excuses for bootlegging of proprietary software.

-- 
Cheers,   The difference between common sense and paranoia is that common sense
Rick Moen     is thinking everyone is out to get you.  That's normal; they are.
rick at linuxmafia.com      Paranoia is thinking they're conspiring.  -- J. Kegler