This page permanently redirects to gemini://gemini.techrights.org/2008/10/12/is-opensuse-free-software/.

● 10.12.08

●● Question Revisited: Is Novell’s OpenSUSE Free Software?

Posted in Free/Libre Software, GNU/Linux, Law, Microsoft, Novell at 9:09 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

EULA raises more questions

We have dealt with this issue before [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], but this discussion returns in light of proprietary software inclusion and a draconian EULA. From LWN:

=> 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ↺ LWN

In other words, redistribution of the openSUSE DVD is not permitted. Members of the openSUSE mirror network are, technically, in violation of the EULA, though nobody appears to be in a hurry to call them on that. But the EULA raises eyebrows and makes some users uncomfortable; many people got into free software to avoid dealing with agreements like that.

[...]

The openSUSE distribution is not distancing itself from proprietary software at this time; it is just reorganizing its management of that software to address one of the problems it brings. But it is still hard to avoid the temptation to read between lines and look forward to a day when openSUSE, too, distributes only free software – not as a result of any sort of push for purity, but just because its users no longer have any need for anything else.

The Novell/Microsoft deal clearly harms OpenSUSE, so why don’t volunteer developers take control of the project, rebrand it, and take it out of Novell’s hand? Dedicated members of the OpenSUSE community actually admit that Novell controls OpenSUSE (many of the members of paid employees). Can a Microsoft partner be trusted near a GNU/Linux distribution? A partner whose relationship tightens all the time and is expected to see collaborations almost tripling fairly soon? █

=> clearly harms OpenSUSE | expected to see collaborations almost tripling fairly soon

“Our partnership with Microsoft continues to expand.”

–Ron Hovsepian, Novell CEO

“It’s going very well insofar as we originally agreed to co-operate on three distinct projects and now we’re working on nine projects and there’s a good list of 19 other projects that we plan to co-operate on.”

–Ron Hovsepian, Novell CEO

Share in other sites/networks: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Permalink  Send this to a friend

=> Permalink | ↺ Send this to a friend

=> Techrights

➮ Sharing is caring. Content is available under CC-BY-SA.