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Old 06-29-2001, 04:30 PM   #1
penguin
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Registered: Feb 2001
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Question Need help with rules of programs under linux


Hi all,

I have started writing a new program which runs under linux. But I have few questions:

1- Am i forced to include the source code for download?
2- Is it a must to have a free copy with less options and another full copy to sell?

Thanks a lot for your help

's cheers
 
Old 06-29-2001, 04:56 PM   #2
rshaw
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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Perry, Iowa
Distribution: Mepis , Debian
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not at all, you can write binary apps for linux. the os is free, the apps don't have to be. i think what your refering to is the GPL . if licenced under the gpl then yes, sources would need to be made available.
 
Old 07-02-2001, 08:03 AM   #3
trickykid
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i think its a good idea to make it free though, if you try to make it a licensed program and sell it, i won't buy it.
 
Old 07-03-2001, 02:47 AM   #4
hazza96
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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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I am no expert on licences but this is my understanding of the GPL and licences etc.

If use another programs source code and that program is using a GPL licence then your program has to also have a GPL licence.

If you are writing the code from scratch then you can do what you want.

But I am with tricky, basically any software that is available for buying is also available under a GPL licence. It may not look as nice or have as many doodad features but it will be out there. A quick check of Source Forge will tell you that.

Even if there isn't one and your program is REALLY useful, then you can bet that soon enough someone will release one similar using the GPL licence.

It also depends on what you want from your programming, money, prestige, recognition.....

Look for an article called 'The cathederal and the bazaar' it was written by the guy that did sendmail, it's all about the different software development models.

Another advantage with the GPL and making the source available is that there are alot of programmers out there that are eager to help make programs better, you can't use them if it is closed source.
 
Old 07-03-2001, 10:09 AM   #5
notlinus
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Registered: May 2001
Location: Kingsport, TN
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Indeed, the Linux community/culture is such that making money on this platform may be difficult for a programmer.

I use proceeds from my programming "side career" to support my toy habit. That means I don't use household money to buy computers, digital cameras, etc - I use money from programming jobs. This has worked well to a point. Currently I'm selling palm based software but even on that platform there are enough free programs that it can be difficult at times. I also do custom application work on Windows. Looking at the Linux landscape, I have decided not to develop software for this platform. I'll be a user, advocate, and participant, but I'm not going to devote the time and cost (if I did start to develop I'd use Kylix because I could easily transfer my Delphi skills) to write commercial or shareware software for Linux.

OTOH, if Linux takes off more, then there will likely be money to be made developing custom applications and modifying apps, as well as tech support for small and mid size companies. At that point I'll start making the investment in time and resources.
 
Old 07-03-2001, 10:35 AM   #6
rshaw
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if you use the QT libraries you could release a free linux version then recompile and release a for-profit windows version. ( you would have to buy a licence from trolltech to release the non-free version)
 
  


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