Re: [tlug] GPL vs. paid version and ethics

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

Hi Darren,


On Sunday, August 05, 2012 11:07 AM, Darren Cook wrote:
> But I also wondered about the ethics. If I added that feature I cut into
> their sales. Financing for the product goes down. Product quality goes
> down. Well, in, one scenario.
>
> Thoughts? Pointers to intelligent previous discussions on this topic?


Interesting that you brought this up as I've been thinking 
about this for the past year.  However, I'm coming from the 
other side.  I'm affiliated with a company which adds 
features to some GPL'ed software and sells it.

I personally think that what you are considering is not 
unethical.  It is no different than company B taking the GPL 
version, adding the same features as company A but now 
selling it for a slightly lower price than what company A is 
selling it for.  Here, company B is also undercutting 
company A's profits; I'll bet company B won't lose any sleep 
over it!  Anyone from the outside looking at this situation 
would argue that it is "part of business" (presuming you 
didn't do anything unscrupulous like reverse engineer 
company A's work, etc.).

But, why you are hesitant is understandable.  Company A is 
the company that released the GPL version.  It isn't a 
completely unrelated company (which can legally happen, I 
think -- that is, a company can take someone else's GPL'ed 
software and fork off an improved version and sell that).

We hope that the company A's commercial version will have 
other strings attached that make it more appealing to its 
customer base.  For example, the one I am affiliated with 
offers 24 hours/7 days support.  Moreover, they are probably 
continually improving their version and may even absorb some 
of the ideas from your forked off GPL version.

I didn't have any intelligent to add but I am equally 
interested in hearing what others here have to say... 
Thanks for bringing it up!

Ray