[CentOS] Using CentOS on commercial product.

Fri Jun 25 13:32:46 UTC 2010
Jerry McAllister <jerrymc at msu.edu>

On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 10:14:35AM +0900, Shinobu Takasugi wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I've sent this mail when I didn't subscribe this mailing list.
> Now I subscribe and I sent again.
> I'm sorry to bother you.
> 
> 
> Our company make and sell some measurement system controlled by PC.
> We use Red Hat Enterprise Linux on the PC currently.
> We are thinking CentOS is another option for us.
> There is no technical issue but we don't have enough information about license.
> 
> We will do the following,
> 
> 1) Install CentOS and our applications on the PC.
> 2) Sell the PC to our customer.
> 3) Distribute DVD made from CentOS iso image file to our customer.
> 
> Question 1
> Is there no problem from the view point of CentOS license?

I don't think there is a problem using CentOS that way.

Another option might be FreeBSD.  (See http://www.freebsd.org/)
There is definitely no problem with their license and it is a 
very good server OS.

> 
> Question 2
> Should we donate to CentOS community?

Of course, donations are always appropriate, especially if you are
making money from the product.   But, it is not a legal requirement.
Same is true of FreeBSD.

> 
>  In FAQ http://www.centos.org/modules/smartfaq/faq.php?faqid=49,
>  there is a description concerning donation when CentOS is used for business.
>    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>    If CentOS is the basis of your business, you should also consider making
>    monthly donations to the CentOS Project, or even providing a dedicated
>    server for our use.
>    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> Shinobu Takasugi
> -- 
> 
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