Re: [Xen-users] Xen License

[Simon Hobson <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

greno@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> This sounds like more Microsoft-reseller scaremongering.  But you do 
> need to be aware of the licenses for any software that you intend to 
> sell/offer/provide/support for your customers.  A lot of distros are 
> GPL / BSD / etc.  and some are commercial offerings such as RedHat / 
> Suse.  If you want someone backing you up, it can often pay to use a 
> commercial offering.
Even Debian (which takes a very 'pure' view of things either being 
free and open - or not in Debian) has the option of installing 
non-free components. That isn't enabled by default, but they are 
there.
If software is under GPL or BSD, then no-one can stop you offering a 
service based from it, stop you charging for that service, or charge 
you for the priviledge. But there are non-free elements in some 
distros (or other bits you get from elsewhere) that you may need to 
be aware of - and for some of those (Fraunhofer and MP3 come to mind) 
a fee may be payable to a third party for a patent licence).
But that's a far cry from the implied threat that started this thread 
- which sounded very much like an MS droid claiming that MS needs 
their tax before it's legal to run Linux.
--
Simon Hobson

Visit http://www.magpiesnestpublishing.co.uk/ for books by acclaimed
author Gladys Hobson. Novels - poetry - short stories - ideal as
Christmas stocking fillers. Some available as e-books.

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