[Sheflug] Re: is SuSE Yast violating the GPL?

[Richard Ibbotson <richard [at] xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi

> YaST has never been free software as far as I'm aware; this has been a
> problem with SuSE for ever basically. This is why it's difficult to
> distribute SuSE Linux, because you need to comply with the YaST licence.
> Many people would rather opt for something which was genuinely free
> software.


This has been going around for a long time now.  It's a long argument.  
All of it very complex.  A lot of SuSE users objected to this when it 
was introduced.  So, not all that popular.

However, if you approach an SuSE employee you will be told that it's 
okay to copy the CDs.  The software is free.  The manuals are not.  
Because an accountant can put a value to a book then you have to pay 
for a box of the software.  What you are not allowed to do is to put 
any SuSE software on any server for installation across a network 
without the permission of SuSE.

It's okay to install from CD and copy the CDs.  No problem with that.
In that sense it is "free".  If you ask RMS about this you will hear 
all sorts of arguments :)

Thanks



Richard
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