From: Fred Maxwell <rockbox_at_anti-spam.org>
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 23:13:46 -0500

Neon John wrote:

> Of what? Assuming he's selling media containing RockBox, he's doing
> nothing wrong, morally or legally.

While he may not be breaking the law, what he is doing is morally wrong.
That's the great thing about morals: Each of us can decide what we believe
is moral. In my book, it is immoral because he has not disclosed that the
software is GPL (and that the buyer must comply with the licensing terms of
the GPL). He is trying to profit from the ignorance of the buyer and that,
in my book, is immoral. A moral person tries to deliver something of value
rather than trying to take advantage of someone.
 
> I don't know why some of you get so cranked over this. No different than
> the outfits who gather together all the free government required employee
> warning posters and sell them as a package. When I buy from them I'm
> paying, in effect, a convenience fee.

How is it more convenient to join ebay, bid, wait to see if you won, contact
the seller, send payment, and then receive a link to the download? He's not
making things more convenient. He's making them less so.

Here's the real test: When the buyer discovers that the software is freely
available for download, will he be likely to feel cheated? If the answer is
"yes", then what the seller is doing is immoral.

Regards,
  Fred Maxwell
Received on 2003-12-21