Here is yet another report of Sword distribution.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [sword-support] Illegal selling of the sword project
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 11:52:36 -0000
From: la004g3874 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: SWORD Support Volunteers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hello i would just like to inform you that many people are selling the
sword project on ebay which i believe is illegal , unless these
people have express permission from yourselves.i believe also the
money they are bidding for the software - i have seen it sell for up
to £6.00, which i feel would be better used donated to yourselves for
future bible softwares - all the very best
A.Timmins
Chris Little wrote:
I don't really have a problem with the eBay guy. He's not doing much
different from what Troy does by offering CDs from the website.
While I will grant that selling on ebay is not necessarily out of line
with the GPL, it may be out of line.
Also, is there a perception problem that needs to be managed?
And, when we get to 1.5.8, shouldn't these sellers stop selling 1.5.6?
Think All is a different matter altogether. I had meant to contact
them about a week ago and finally did so just now. Their copyright and
license violations are numerous and extensive. I don't especially
believe that they will agree to bring their distribution practice into
conformance with the requirements of the law or with what they are
permitted to do under the GPL. Actually doing so would void the
profitability of what is essentially a scam. If they refuse to cease
license violation, we will probably have to do what we must in order
to stop their using our software to rip people off, potentially
including, but not necessarily limited to, forcing a takedown under
the DMCA for illegal sale of copyrighted works.
--Chris
DM Smith wrote:
What should/can we do? What is our *policy*?
In the last few days we have received several different emails to
sword-support at crosswire.org regarding an inability to use our
software or its distribution not directly from us. As I have just
joined sword-support to field JSword/BibleDesktop questions, so I
don't know if this is typical or not.
It was noted in 2 emails that the software was being offered for sale
on ebay.com. In another, it was being sold by thinkall.com. (I just
posted my response to that email to this mailing list) Another said
that the two Sword programs wouldn't start. I have asked for further
info, but I suspect that it was not downloaded directly from
crosswire.org. And another wanted to know why BibleDesktop didn't
work and a the church membership program required an unlock key.
Another was from an ebay user asking where is his purchase.
The GPL is really a license about the distribution of software and
it's code. It allows for reasonable recovery of costs associated with
packaging, and postage. But it also has lots of other requirements on
the one doing the distribution.
Anyway, I think it is inappropriate for others to distribute the
software over ebay (except perhaps as a "buy me now" for a few
dollars outside of the US). In the case of one seller on ebay, they
were selling it in UK, for a small amount and also stated that the
software is free software from Sword, though it was not in fine
print, it was toward the bottom of a long paragraph, so it probably
would not be seen.
In the case of thinkall, they distribute it under their own license
not the GPL. I think that this is a violation. And they package it in
such a way as to hide its origin.
In the other three cases, I have requested more information so we can
help them get the program up and running. And I pointed them to the
locations where they can download it for free.
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