accept the GPL on software install?

Posted by Nico Golde in
Saturday, September 15. 2007

Gunnar wrote that he recently had to explicitly accept the GPL via some dialog box when doing an OpenOffice installation on windows and users are also prompted with the license agreement on the first start of the application.

Why should someone want this?
Are you also FREE to refuse this and still use the software? I mean the GPL is about distributing the software, not using it, so wtf?

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I've also encountered this on some occasions.
Basically I think that the people writing those installers are either so used to the "Click [Accept] to accept the license and proceed with the installation" steps that they simply include them or if the installer was also made for programs that are governed under a license which requires the user to accept it before being allowed to use the program (contrary to the GPL), people might try to fill the gap by inserting the GPL as the license.
I think the installers of GIMP and gtk+ for Windows had the same quirk some time ago..

#1 florolf on 2007-09-15 15:27 (Reply)

I'm inclined to like the idea. People who don't care about licenses will likely click through it thinking it makes OpenOffice a "real" windows application. People who know the GPL will just say, "Yep, I'm cool with that", and click through it. People who are starting to become wary of ever more restrictive licenses might just read the GPL and have their eyes opened

#2 Lee (Homepage) on 2007-09-15 16:27 (Reply)

I think the idea is totally unacceptable. RMS is always talking about your personal freedom and I want to use my personal freedom in not accepting the license since it is not related in using the software. Sure you can just click and not care but its still annoying though.

#3 nion on 2007-09-15 16:39 (Reply)

Actually, it makes sense. Since the GPL is the license you received the software under, you must accept it. Because - as the license also clearly states - if you don't accept it, you have no right to have a copy of it.

#4 blindcoder (Homepage) on 2007-09-16 10:05 (Reply)

thats not a valid reason especially not for a license where everything is always about your personal freedom.

#5 nion on 2007-09-16 15:03 (Reply)

Well, no. You don't have the right to s/OpenOffice.Org/Nions Cool Office Suite/g and sell it under a closed source license.

#5.1 blindcoder (Homepage) on 2007-09-16 15:59 (Reply)

LOL noone was talking about this especially not because the license prohibits it, but the license doesnt prohibit the use of software under certain cases.

#5.1.1 nion on 2007-09-16 16:15 (Reply)

No, but how do you want to communicate that to the user of the software?
Especially since - if he gives it to his friend - he is entitled to also give him the source code if said friend demands it.

#5.1.1.1 blindcoder (Homepage) on 2007-09-16 18:53 (Reply)

You don't get the point. Sorry but it looks like a waste of time to discuss this further.

#5.1.1.1.1 nion on 2007-09-16 19:04 (Reply)

I have to agree.

#5.1.1.1.1.1 blindcoder (Homepage) on 2007-09-16 20:54 (Reply)

If you actually read the GPL license you don't have to accept it to use the software in question so the click and accept to use any GPL software is kinda pointless with the GPL

#6 kitche on 2007-09-17 01:29 (Reply)

Absolutely correct.
The GPL explicitly states that
"You are not required to accept this License, since you have not signed it." (v2) or "You are not required to accept this License in order to receive or run a copy of the Program." (v3)
So it's not just pointless it's misleading and wrong to include a "accept-box"

@#3 nion: "Because - as the license also clearly states - if you don't accept it, you have no right to have a copy of it." not at all! s.a.

#6.1 Alfonso Knaf on 2007-09-17 02:02 (Reply)

"You are not required to accept this License in order to receive or run a copy of the Program. Ancillary propagation of a covered work occurring solely as a consequence of using peer-to-peer transmission to receive a copy likewise does not require acceptance. However, nothing other than this License grants you permission to propagate or modify any covered work."

That was exactly my point

#7 nion on 2007-09-17 02:13 (Reply)

Sorry for my misquote in my comment, I thought the names appear above the comment so I mistook you for blindcoder...

#7.1 Alfonso Knaf on 2007-09-17 02:22 (Reply)

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