Hi,
I want to ask you is it legal to create my own distribution based on Red Hat/Centos and to sell it under different name? I will make available for everyone to see the source code. Is this against the license agreement?
regards Peter
On Sat, 8 Jan 2011, derleader __ wrote:
To: centos@centos.org From: derleader __ derleader@abv.bg Subject: [CentOS] Customizing Centos
Hi,
I want to ask you is it legal to create my own distribution based on Red Hat/Centos and to sell it under different name? I will make available for everyone to see the source code. Is this against the license agreement?
regards Peter
You can't sell GPL source code as it is protected by the GPL, but you can sell a packaged product that includes GPL sources, like RHEL I suppose.
Keith Roberts
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At Sat, 8 Jan 2011 18:09:59 +0000 (GMT) CentOS mailing list centos@centos.org wrote:
On Sat, 8 Jan 2011, derleader __ wrote:
To: centos@centos.org From: derleader __ derleader@abv.bg Subject: [CentOS] Customizing Centos
Hi,
I want to ask you is it legal to create my own distribution based on Red Hat/Centos and to sell it under different name? I will make available for everyone to see the source code. Is this against the license agreement?
regards Peter
You can't sell GPL source code as it is protected by the GPL, but you can sell a packaged product that includes GPL sources, like RHEL I suppose.
RedHat does not 'sell a packaged product'. They sell a subscription service with a support contract. The source code is available for free and can be redistributed (for free) once RedHat's IP (trademarded logos, etc.) have been removed and/or replaced. That is what CentOS is.
Keith Roberts
Websites: http://www.karsites.net http://www.php-debuggers.net http://www.raised-from-the-dead.org.uk
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On Saturday, January 08, 2011 01:09:59 pm Keith Roberts wrote:
You can't sell GPL source code as it is protected by the GPL, but you can sell a packaged product that includes GPL sources, like RHEL I suppose.
Sure you can sell GPL sources; you just can't prevent the buyer from giving copies of them away. See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#DoesTheGPLAllowMoney and subsequent FAQ entries following that.
As an interesting aside, I know one software package that is currently not under the GPL, but the developer will sell a GPLed copy of the source for a very large fee.
On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 8:05 PM, derleader __ derleader@abv.bg wrote:
Hi, I want to ask you is it legal to create my own distribution based on Red Hat/Centos and to sell it under different name? I will make available for everyone to see the source code. Is this against the license agreement?
regards Peter
Yes, you can customize the distro as you see fit. Many projects do this. But, you can't sell it.
On 1/8/11 12:10 PM, Rudi Ahlers wrote:
On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 8:05 PM, derleader __derleader@abv.bg wrote:
Hi, I want to ask you is it legal to create my own distribution based on Red Hat/Centos and to sell it under different name? I will make available for everyone to see the source code. Is this against the license agreement?
Yes, you can customize the distro as you see fit. Many projects do this. But, you can't sell it.
There's no restriction in the GPL to prevent you from selling things. You just just can't prohibit the buyer/recipient from redistributing it under the GPL terms and you have to make source available. Some of the other licenses are different, but none prevent redistribution and none that I know of have terms that would prevent that redistribution being a sale.
On 8.1.2011 19:34, Les Mikesell wrote:
There's no restriction in the GPL to prevent you from selling things. You just just can't prohibit the buyer/recipient from redistributing it under the GPL terms and you have to make source available. Some of the other licenses are different, but none prevent redistribution and none that I know of have terms that would prevent that redistribution being a sale.
Copyrighted artwork would have to be changed.
...snip You may not use the CentOS logos to distribute ISOs that have been modified. snap...
http://www.centos.org/modules/smartfaq/faq.php?faqid=49
On Sat, Jan 08, 2011 at 08:05:19PM +0200, derleader __ wrote:
I want to ask you is it legal to create my own distribution based on Red Hat/Centos and to sell it under different name? I will make available for everyone to see the source code. Is this against the license agreement?
You've gotten good answers thus far, but if you want a real legal opinion, you should consult an attorney in your country. If you're going to be selling licenses for your own software you probably need a lawyer anyway, so simply ask this question along with any others.
--keith
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