Kubuntu and GNOME apps?

[Alan Dayley]

Josh Coffman said:
>
> I don't know for sure it would work, but you might
> want to try it (has a liveCD):
>
> SimplyMepis
>
> I suggest it because I got the best hardware support
> out-of-the-box from it than anything else I tried.
> apt-get is easy and I'd have to assume it has gnome
> libraries available since debian repos have something
> like 35,000 packages.

There are many in PLUG and on the net that rave about Mepis.  I have not
tried it.  However, I will not choose it on grounds of a licensing
abiguity that I recently learned about.

(Quoting http://www.mepis.org/node/1360)

"2. Can I sell MEPIS Linux CDs?

The SimplyMEPIS CD is released under a GPL collective work license which
theoretically allows you to make and sell copies.

However you may not use the MEPIS name or logo without permission. 
Therefore, in effect, you can not legally sell copies of MEPIS CDs without
our permission."

I know and understand the difference between copyright and trademarks. 
Mepis is certainly within their rights to limiting any use of their name
and logo as they see fit.  The GPL is not applicable to trademarks and
tradenames.  I have no problem with that.

It's the statement of the "GPL collective work license" that I have a
problem with because of the following two additional points:

1 - Mepis contains non-Free and non-Open binary only software.  See
http://www.mepis.org/node/137.  This was from 2003 and there is no
information I can find that updates the closed status of this code.  In
fact, I find no documentation whatsoever that defines the license for this
code.  If you know of something, tell me.

2 - Appendix E of the SimplyMEPIS User Guide is interesting. It bothers
me. See http://www.mepis.org/node/6679.
-- No explicit statment of license for code created by Mepis itself, as
commented above.
-- It refers to "open source EULA" which cannot include the GPL. The GPL
is a license for distribution not an EULA. Lumping it with EULAs is, at
least, confusing.

So, we are left with an ambiguous state. Can the Mepis written software
tools be distributed? There is only a two year old comment on a web forum
allowing binary distribution only.  But, other documents imply GPL
applicability to the entire CD or leave the point undefined. Gaak.

Is Mepis a free software distro?  I have no authoritative way to show one
way or another since their own documentation is unclear about the
licensing of their software.  That is the fault of Mepis.

With the abiguity of the licensing of the Mepis written software, and
their appearent non-Free status, I will not use it.  Not because it is not
Free but because I don't know what my rights and license is with regard to
that software.  Can they withdraw my rights to use it at some future date?
 Will they require payment at some time?  Can I alter and recreate a
bootable CD based on Mepis like all the Knoppix derivatives?  If so, under
what limitations can I distribute the closed source software if they are
on a CD no longer carrying the Mepis name?

Too many questions to worry about with so many other acceptable choices
that don't carry these questions.  So, Mepis is ruled out, for me.

I appeciate the discussion, though.

Alan