From: Derek Rogillio (dereklist_at_rogillio.net)
Date: Fri May 03 2002 - 18:23:41 EDT
Toni Kennedy wrote:
> If I purchased Suse Linux 8 would that software be mine to use on all the
> computers I own as I please or am I just renting it like windoze?
> Thanks, Toni
Toni,
It wouldn't be yours ... it would be all of ours, just as it is before
you purchase it ;) Aren't free software licenses great? With the
purchase of the distribution, you are buying the CDs, manuals, and
support from SuSE, not the software.
But you can install it on as many machines as you would like, or at
least the parts of it that are covered by the GPL, LGPL and other
similar licenses. SuSE includes many commercial applications with their
distribution, and I am not sure about the licensing on them since I do
not use them. For the base system, install away!
By the way, I have SuSE 8.0 and it is really nice. For the obligatory
ThinkPad reference ... it detects all hardware (ethernet, video, even
infrared) on my T21 and X23 except for the Mini-PCI modem. I was able
to use the Lucent binary drivers to get the modem working on the T21,
but the X23 is being more stubborn. I am temporarily using a PC-Card
modem until I can work the issues out.
The only down side is that SuSE does some things differently than
Mandrake (which I am very familiar with) and Red Hat (which I am mostly
familiar with). With each distribution, you have to buy into their way
of doing things. Everyone has their "one true way" ...
-Derek
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