xtcommerce.com and his shop no. 3

[Sam Liddicott]

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 :-)
>
>  
>