[wellylug] Installfest Planning

[Sam]

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003, Michael Dittmer wrote:

> Hi Sam
>
> Lycoris Desktop/LX is released under the GPL, the only parts that are not
> covered are any artwork (wallpapers, icons etc). You can download and use
> the source (cd2 of 3), but you must follow the Lycoris license and the GPL
> if you release anything to the public using Lycoris source.

Note I said they violate the spirit of the GPL.

> I can't see why people have a problem with Linux companies making money from
> selling Linux distro's

I don't have a problem with commercial distributions per se, but rather
selling something things you've received from others at no cost.

Lycoris is selling a kernel they didn't write, a windowing system and
desktop environment they didn't write, and a whole bunch of utilities and
applications they didn't write.

Certainly the GPL allows this, but I still feel that it's morally wrong.

So wow.. they've made some icons and backgrounds.  Great.  Oh, and
you can email them questions.  Excellent.  That's US$40 worth.
</sarcasm>

> plus add-on Paks. Look at Mandrake, they have filed
> for bankruptcy because their users never supported them. People need to get
> their heads out of the sand and get with the real world. If you need / want
> a free distro with no commercial support, look elsewhere.

Mandrake try to go commercial selling a free product, they go under.  Same
deal.  I don't think all that much of Mandrake either.

Face it.  Desktop users are quite happy forking money over to Microsoft
for a product that, for the most part, works as they want it to, and that
they are comfortable with.

_rabid linux zealots_ need to pull their heads out of the sand and realise
that while they might like Linux an awful lot, it's not suitable for
everybody.