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Is the software ``Open Source?''
Yes, it is OSI Certified Open Source Software,
released under the
Common Public License Version 1.0.
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You didn't give me a name and password to download the software.
Everyone gets the same name and password, listed at the bottom of
this copy of the license.
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Why are the downloads password protected? GNU doesn't do that.
Its all about deep pockets.
Even though the packages are licensed as Open Source, our legal department
requires that each download recipient provably accept the associated license(s)
before downloading.
This is for protection from liability claims based on ignorance of the license.
See Specht vs. Netscape for details on
manifestation of agreement
with respect to software downloads.
We could have done a
mouse click to agree
interaction, but that would have encumbered
wget(1)
and
curl(1)
style command line access.
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This name/password nonsense will never catch on with my user base.
Since the software is licensed by CPL you are free to accept the license
on our site, download the software, and then post it on
your
site with whatever manifestation of agreement suits you.
At that point the liability is between you and your user base.
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