Re: [Gimp-user] QUESTION OF ETHICS

[Jay Smith <jay JaySmith com>]

On 05/10/2012 04:26 PM, Russ Marshall wrote:
> Can anyone explain to me why GIMP allows their “FREE” software to be
> SOLD on eBay? There are those of us
> who have been cheated by sellers who, when you win the auction send you
> the URL for GIMP web page where
> you may download it for free!!!!
> I have complained to eBay but they will not do anything about it.
> RUSS MARSHALL


Russ,

Gimp developers do not "allow" or "not allow" sales.  The Gimp license 
does not prevent such activity.  That is part of the whole open-source 
software world, it is not related only to Gimp.

No, such activity is not honorable -- if the seller has not added any 
value to transaction, but since it is not a disallowed activity, it is 
not illegal.  Whether it is ethical or not is a decision above my pay 
grade.  I don't like it, but even vultures and possums have their role 
in the world.

However... I believe strongly -- and I do apply this thinking to myself 
as well -- that one should first look to oneself before deciding to 
blame others.  Did you know that you were buying Gimp?  Did you know 
what you were going to be receiving?  If you did know that you were 
buying Gimp, did you research it (doing a simple Google search would 
have told you everything) before bidding on it.  Or, if you did not know 
what product you were buying, why did you bid on it?  All these types of 
questions should perhaps be considered before blaming everybody else.

If you were not previously aware of Gimp and you did not do any research 
to find Gimp (or other free / open-source software), then perhaps the 
eBay seller did actually provide some value for the price they charged 
-- in a devious kind of way, they have introduced you to the wonderful 
world of Gimp.  If Gimp cost $200 or $500, it would still be worth it to 
_many_ people, myself included.

So, perhaps this is just a life lesson:  Know exactly what you are 
bidding on, research alternative sources before bidding, etc., etc.

By the way, there is a huge and wonderful world of free / open-source 
software around there.  Explore that world and you will find a lot of 
great, free programs you had no idea existed.

Jay