Re: opera and non-free

[Walter Landry <wlandry@ucsd.edu>]

Sam Johnston <samj@samj.net> wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> Please find attached a copy of the 'copyright' file included in the 
> opera 6 TP3 download available from their site (http://www.opera.com). 
> I'd love to see opera in non-free but I think I'll need to work with 
> them to resolve some licensing issues first. Specifically it is worded 
> as though the (freely downloadable) software is licensed separately per 
> user, and for use on only one computer at one time. ie multiple users on 
> the same machine are out - if the sysadmin installs it then only [s]he 
> can use it. It also says nothing about redistribution - presumably an 
> important part of any such license.
> 
> A list of what is required/not allowed in non-free licenses would be a 
> most useful addition to the archives, should one not exist already 
> (where?) and if one of you is able to enumerate the conditions.

All that is required for non-free is the right to redistribute.  This
must be explicitly granted, and it isn't granted here.  Many companies
don't grant it, because they want people to go through them in order
to get the software.  There is precedent for companies giving special
permission to Debian, but I wouldn't encourage it.  I worry about
whether mirrors are really considered part of Debian.

Also, all of the icky stuff about how and when a person can use it is
not a problem for non-free.

Regards,
Walter Landry
wlandry@ucsd.edu