vmware-workstation free?

Message

WaMan · Post by **WaMan** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 2:36 am

Is vmware-workstation GPLed? After I emerge it, it requires me to enter a serial number. It it's not free, should it be included in the gentoo repository?

A free 30 day trial is available, but registration is required. This, in my opinion makes the trial not-free.

Post by **pjp** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 2:55 am

Don't use VMWare, so I'm not certain. Sounds like you have to register to get an activation key/serial number.
It is free because you spend no money for the 30-day trial period.

delta407 · Post by **delta407** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 3:22 am

VMware is a good piece of software, and it's install process is less than straightforward for systems lacking rc_.d and various other things.... besides, what said it had to be free?

taskara · Post by **taskara** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 3:36 am

no it's not free, but I think having it in the portage is a handy way for ppl to compile it into their gentoo system.

FINITE · Post by **FINITE** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 4:47 am

HA, its FAR from being free! And the price is outrageous, unless of course you own a buisness or have about 4hun to spare. For home use and my wallett its may as well be a Porche 911 turbo all wheel drive. Its is good sometware though

delta407 · Post by **delta407** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 4:54 am

If you're at all affiliated with an educational institution (teacher, staff, or student), check out www.creationengine.com. About $150, including ship.

taskara · Post by **taskara** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 5:27 am

I didn't say it was free

I said it's NOT free

"no it's not free"

klieber · Post by **klieber** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 2:19 pm

WaMan wrote:It it's not free, should it be included in the gentoo repository?

You're right -- it's not free. Why does that affect what should/shouldn't be included in the portage tree?

--kurt

Post by **pjp** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 3:47 pm

klieber wrote:
WaMan wrote:It it's not free, should it be included in the gentoo repository?
You're right -- it's not free. Why does that affect what should/shouldn't be included in the portage tree?

--kurt

Debianitis

taskara · Post by **taskara** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 10:59 pm

IF this is causing a problem, then perhaps there should be a seperate portage branch for software which is NOT free or gpled.

that way people know what they are and aren't compiling, and there aren't any problems.

I think it's great having software like vmware in the portage, because it's keeps the install nice and clean. Why NOT have it ?!

It would be a pain if you compile all sorts of programs, only to find out they are not free. (ie. from the point of view of a user such as the dude who started this thread)

The best thing I can suggest at this stage is look at the product's webpage and see for yourself before you compile away. Then you'll know if it's free or not.

But having a seperate branch for non-free apps would perhaps be a nicer solution.

delta407 · Post by **delta407** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 11:09 pm

taskara wrote:It would be a pain if you compile all sorts of programs, only to find out they are not free.

Three points: one, VMware doesn't compile anything in the install, IIRC. It's a binary download; the kernel modules are compiled by vmware-config.pl. Two, if you're compiling, you have the source code; if you have the source code, it's a good bet it's free software. (Not always, but most of the time.) And three, why would you compile all sorts of programs without knowing what they were?

taskara · Post by **taskara** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 11:36 pm

yeah that's my point

delta407 · Post by **delta407** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 11:37 pm

I just totally contradicted your point; how is that your point?

taskara · Post by **taskara** » Sun Jun 30, 2002 11:39 pm

delta407 wrote: And three, why would you compile all sorts of programs without knowing what they were?

taskara wrote: The best thing I can suggest at this stage is look at the product's webpage and see for yourself before you compile away. Then you'll know if it's free or not.

abhishek · Post by **abhishek** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 1:48 am

lol we're going to end up with main contrib and non-free rnt we.

citizen428 · Post by **citizen428** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 12:25 pm

data_the_android wrote:we're going to end up with main contrib and non-free

And, that's so bad? /me likes the kind of software being free like in freedom, not free beer.

Maybe that's just me coming from a Debian background, but I think there are some more people to which such things matter. But most of the time I know if the apps I install are free from using them before, otherwise I take a quick look.

klieber · Post by **klieber** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 2:16 pm

ok, this is becoming a topic more appropriate for Gentoo Suggestions. moving it there.

--kurt

abhishek · Post by **abhishek** » Mon Jul 01, 2002 5:44 pm

well not that its bad im just finding it funny that itd become like debian. but no reason for it not to i guess. emerge is as good as apt-get. but right now doesnt seem like good time. ud end up with a branch with 1 thing. debian has 10k packages with some more stuff in other brances. i konw itd grow sioem, but right now t doenst seem like itd make sense.

FINITE · Post by **FINITE** » Tue Jul 02, 2002 3:06 am

Taskara-Not sure if you thought I was saying that you said it was free I was just reitterating your point. ITS NOT FREE

Doesn't mean it should be excluded from the ebuild list either. If someone is willing to pay to play then having the ebuild is a pretty big pluss.

CowboyNeal · Post by **CowboyNeal** » Wed Jul 03, 2002 10:38 pm

Why don't define a LICENCE var in the ebuildfiles?

Spark · Post by **Spark** » Wed Jul 03, 2002 11:06 pm

CowboyNeal wrote:Why don't define a LICENCE var in the ebuildfiles?

Funny, just wanted to write that.

If it would show you the license as package description, this should solve the problem. And you could have an option to have emerge ask (warn

) you before installing non-free software.

delta407 · Post by **delta407** » Thu Jul 04, 2002 3:45 am

Actually, there is a LICENSE variable in most ebuild files.

Code: Select all

$ cd /usr/portage; for i in `find | grep .ebuild`; do grep -H LICENSE\= $i; done

See?

fghellar · Post by **fghellar** » Thu Jul 04, 2002 3:52 am

Something in this direction is already being done... Check at
http://www.gentoo.org/index-packages.html or with cat /usr/portage/app-editors/gedit/gedit-2.0.0-r1.ebuild.

delta407 · Post by **delta407** » Thu Jul 04, 2002 4:08 am

Well, yeah, I wasn't suggesting that they use that to look through their Portage directory for a specific license. I was just showing that a LICENSE tag is actually included in most ebuilds.

metalac · Post by **metalac** » Fri Aug 23, 2002 8:46 pm

now i noticed that there is a vmware package for gentoo, now can somebody explain me how does that work, since as far as i know there is no free version of vmware.

EDIT: Merged thread. --pjp

vmware-workstation free?

vmware-workstation free?

Re: vmware-workstation free?

Re: vmware-workstation free?

VMware: Requires a license, and is in portage?