@scottalanmiller said:
@Rob-Dunn said:
@IRJ said:
@thecreativeone91 said:
It's a way for projects to generate income.
I find it annoying, but acceptable for freeware to bundle other programs. I've seen it on software so much that I am trained to always do custom installs and EXPECT them to try to sneak something in. Just be careful when going through the typical next, next, next procedure.
Freeware is one thing, but Open Source, I dunno. Seems like the whole 'making profit' by shady methods is kind of counter to the whole Open Source movement in general. If you want to promote sharing and code maturity via the collective, making money from some profit-centered and possibly harmful utility really accomplishes only the opposite desired effect, IMHO.
Not really. Open source is purely about the accessibility to the source. How, why or if people make profit is really unrelated. Open source and free don't have any necessary reason to go together. Shady business or money making rarely goes directly with any social movement, but beyond that that the source is open doesn't really play in to the money making aspect. If anything, it makes it easier as the open source movement isn't concerned with people making money from what they have made, with most licenses.
Exactly. Open source means the code is available to anyone, and things like the GNU GPL protect Open source rights as the code changes over time and goes from one person's hands to another. Someone may have something open-source they give out for free. Someone is completely allowed to come along, make changes to it and then package it and sell it. However, they must maintain the code as open-source (assuming it's licensed with CC or GNU GPL or even public domain). However, they must make the source available. and allow others to do what they want with it. Also, they often have to show the changes they made from the original code or at least the code they received.