30 replies to this topic

[Firaas]

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Paul [MVP],

Like what kind of "permission" are they supposed to obtain and from WHO. Given my McAffee virus software example.

If I bought it, didn't open it, then I should be able to garage sale it out to anyone I choose and not have to worry about that reselling crap.

The point Paul is trying to make is that it's illegal to sell copies of programs on Ebay when you don't have permission to do so.

In your example, it may not be illegal to sell the retail boxed McAfee, but it is illegal to make copies of McAfee and then distribute it, or make it available to download whilst you still have it installed and active.

If you read your McAfee license, it will usually clarify whether or not you are entitled to sell the software on.

The people on ebay which are referred to on the forum are not distributing their licenses on ebay - they're making copies of programs for which they have purchased licenses, and this is illegal without the permission of the author - it's copyright infringement.

[awarner]

Hawbaget joined to moan :? or did you have an auction blocked?
The whole point is to try and prevent scum from making profit out of piracy and and so help the authors
of the programs get the money they deserve for their hard work.

[Maverick]

Another one trying to make a fast buck ..

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...&category=10364.

[MrCheese]

Quote

Another one trying to make a fast buck ..  

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...&category=10364.
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- - maverick - i've just checked out the link you posted and it looks like this person is only selling shareware or freeware programs - if that's the case then they're not really ripping people off are they????

i'm a software developer myself and if i produced a program that i was prepared to release free into the world then it wouldn't really bother me if i saw it for sale on e-bay or any where else for that matter...

thats like a chef producing a really cool Salmon pasta dish for a charity dinner then seeing Jamie Oliver selling it in his Christmas 'Cockney boy Christmas cook book'!!!, and getting a right beef on about the whole thing!   :!:

Unless i'm way off the mark???  

[chucky.egg]

Has anyone noticed that smartphonecinema.co.uk is now selling SD cards with the videos and MIDIs on.

I know he says "they're all available on P2P" but this is stepping beyond just providing the videos online, he's now (probably) making money out of it.

[mystic meg] I can see your future... I see a court appearance and a fine [/mystic meg]

[Matt Kirby]

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- - maverick - i've just checked out the link you posted and it looks like this person is only selling shareware or freeware programs - if that's the case then they're not really ripping people off are they????

They are ripping people off - if the software has been released by the author as freeware (or cheap shareware) then people are better off downloading the software direct from the author rather than paying some other muppet to burn a CD-R.

When shareware first started (before the 'Net kicked off) the only way to obtain the software was from shareware libraries, on disk, through the post.  For this service the library would charge a fee for the disk, copying and postage.  This money didn't go to the author; it was a charge for the service provided by the shareware library- with the authors consent (usually part of the T&Cs in the EULA (not that they were called EULAs back then!)).

Today you would be mad to pay someone to give you something that you could download yourself for less money- and that’s before even thinking about the cheek of someone charging for software when the author gets nothing.  These people are not providing a service- it could be argued that they are collating the software in one place but most if not all freeware for Smartphone is available on Mono’s site as a free download.  Why pay and wait for it in the post when one visit to either Mono’s site or MoDaCo and you will have everything you need?

It would be different if all of the software being sold in this way permitted this in the EULA – which I doubt very much.  If you write software and are happy for it to be distributed this way then fine, put that in your EULA and there is no problem.  The problem occurs when authors don’t want their software distributed this way and people do it anyway.

I've written software myself (see sig) and have released it for free if anyone finds it useful - and I would object to someone making money off of the hours of work that I put in creating the software.  The short EULA that goes with it states that the software is not to be distributed without my permission – that’s all I ask for giving the software away for free.

Well, that’s my 2 cents…..

[MrCheese]

Matt Kirby  - i do see your point about people making money selling other people's stuff, but are they really muppets?? i mean if they disclaim to the public that their disk contains, amongst other things, some freeware software - surely it's the people that buy this stuff instead of as you say downloading it for free that are the real Muppets!!!??? The ebay-seller is not really affecting the author as he/she wouldn't reap any financial gain anyway - the only people losing out are the dumbo's buying the disk. And perhaps they're not even losing out cos if they didn't realise the software was easily downloadable for free then they're probably quite happy to pay for it   :roll:

the ongoing discussion about software piracy/cracking/unlawfully distributing is a very interesting one as i allways find i sit on the fence  -sure  i can see the fustration of the hardworking developer  -  i can also see the enjoyment of the young kid "kazzaa -ing " a copy of XP professional for free, that would have cost him loads, only to go out of date within a few years anyway. Surely the majority of money made is by business's buying legit copies with a licence?

also -out of interest, the T &C that you place on your software that you don't want it distributed  - - does this constitute a legally binding disclaimer or simply a polite request that you hope people respect  :?:

[tsissar]

I can't belive people can be such an as### to sell something that someone else created and gave it to everyone for free.

[Gorskar]

What a wonderful world we live in

[harry2321]

I first came to this BBS