[Gllug] Query on PD software licencing

[t.clarke]

Re John's licencing problem

'providing no financial gain is made' would seem to be the key statement

If the user group were charging a mere 3quid for a CD, which comprised a
load of other programs plus the 'offending' one, it would seem reasonable to
put to the member concerned that there was no financial gain since the 3quid
merely defrayed the physical cost of copying and distributing.  After all,
the likes of Cheap-Linux have been charging nominal amounts for Linux CD
distributions for years, and I believe they are still doing so without threat
of Linus or anyone else taking them to court.

Court action these days, even in the small claims court, still costs money.
I can't believe the person concerned would be willing to go to the expense
over such a piddling issue.  At the end of the day he/she has already declared
the software to be publicly available, so he/she is not being deprived of any
rightful revenue.  My impression is that generally the courts award damages
where damage is done - and it seems none has been.   If you were selling on
the program concerned on its own as a business, no doubt the situation would
be different.

I would suggest you eitrher tell them to stop being silly, or maybe offer a
nominal 10p per disc already copied (1pound in total).  The offer of a pound
might well cover what a court might award in damages - at least if the judge
is at all sane !

Tim
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