Commercial Linux apps?

[swoodnj]

I do some consulting work for a small company that produces vertical market windows apps (transportation). Knowing that I am a Linux user and fan I was asked about the possibility of porting one of the apps per customer request. I of course would love to do it, but of course the app would not be free, they would be selling it. Not being all that familiar with the GPL (I will do some Googling tonight) I started wondering how one can go about developing and selling commercial Linux software.
Forgive me if this is a stupid question or an FAQ. thanks in advance for any input.

Steve W

[RedMap]

I dont think selling commercial Linux software is different from selling any other kind of software. You can run any software you design for linux.

I'm not sure what you're asking about. Best way to learn is to get a book on linux kernel programming I suppose!?!
The O'Reilley books are generally pretty good but not sure if their kernel books are good.

[hard candy]

The Linux Journal magazine has a pretty good legal column. Their site may let you search for GPL-commercial legal questions.
Or you could call SCO's legal dept. :D

[swoodnj]

I'm sorry for not being clearer...my concern is the legality of selling Linux software. I think some toolkits only allow their use for GPL'd software. I am trying to investigate what tools I can use to produce software to be sold.
Thanks.

Steve W

[Hayl]

Originally posted by swoodnj
I'm sorry for not being clearer...my concern is the legality of selling Linux software. I think some toolkits only allow their use for GPL'd software. I am trying to investigate what tools I can use to produce software to be sold.
Thanks.

Steve W

the GPL does not restrict you from selling software. it only requires that you provice the source code of anything that is GPL'd.

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by swoodnj
I think some toolkits only allow their use for GPL'd software. I am trying to investigate what tools I can use to produce software to be sold.


See if those 'toolkits' have anything on their websites about the legalities of using their toolkits for producing and selling commercial software. If you cannot find anything, contact them and ask.

I would think it's better to ask them then to take our advise.

[hlrguy]

Absoulutely legal. Check out Moneydance, Full Tuxracer, etc. They are commercial apps. GPL, among other things, states that if you use GPLed code in your product, and you change/improce it, you MUST release those changes and make that source available. So, you write XYZ, and along the way, you figure out how to use SDL 3 times more efficiently, and integrate these changes into your product, you need to make that source available. All privatly written code, however, does NOT need to be released to the open source community.

Linux is about freedom, not free. I bought Moneydance and the full featured Tuxracer because it is worth it and don't begrudge them a penny.

hlrguy

[hlrguy]

Originally posted by mdwatts
I would think it's better to ask them then to take our advise.

Sure, always with the best advice per thread. :D

It is legal, but you obviously need to, as with any product, run it through the legal department and investigate exactly what you can/must do. We touched on some examples of things, but you need to be sure.

hlrguy

[swoodnj]

Thanks for all the input, I will do more investigating, looking forward to getting into Linux development.

Steve W

[joelc]

Well as for toolkits, I know you can buy borland's Kylix with the kind of distribution liscense you're looking for. Selling software on linux is not a problem. Another example of commercial software would have been Corel WordPerfect (sadly, no longer under development).

Another issue you may want to check into would be libraries. If you want to use QT or GDK there may be strings attached about having to release your code via GPL. I don't think so, but it's possible.