[PyKDE] Re: Black Adder licensing structure

[Phil Thompson]

Scott Prive wrote:
> 
> >
> > > True but that won't change if they aren't exposed to free software. I was telling my
> > > stepfather about Linux (he uses Windows), and the comment I got was "how do you
> > > MAKE people write software for free? Someone has to pay for it". It's a popular
> > > misconception in the Windows space. What keeps a lot of people tied to Windows is not
> > > IE or Office, but all these dinky Visual Basic applications they enounter (yes most
> > > are shareware... forget free or commercial for the sake of arguement).
> >
> > Your stepfather is right - somebody does have to pay for it - the
> > author.
> 
> Hmm. I think my point was he had the typical "outsider" view that equates "software on
> Linux is free" with "that's not fair - you can't force people to work for free" (as in
> 'gun-to-your-head' force?).
> 
> >
> >
> > > Does the Personal license for Black Adder allow one to distribute "free
> > > software" (even for Windows)? I just want to make little apps to catalog cheese,
> > > insults, or a Hungarian Phrasebook. Most people I know still run Windows, but would
> > > appreciate these type of apps.
> >
> > You would need the Business Edition.
> 
> Yikes. Change the name to Impersonal Edition... $299 to distribute FREE software is steep.

Your software may be free, but you also want to distribute software
which is not free, ie. Qt for Windows which isn't free to anybody. For
Linux you can assemble the run-time elements for yourself, for free (ie.
the GPLed Qt, and PyQt) - just as you can do today.

> This is unusual -- typically licenses are divided into "commercial" and "non-commercial"
> camps. My intended use is still non-commercial. A non-commercial license that ALSO can't be
> distributed, is quite limiting in my opinion, and does not compare favorably with related
> tools such as Borland Kylix or MS Visual Basic (platform availability ignored for purposes
> of arguement).

But it's what Trolltech do for Qt.

Phil