CheapBytes CD's

[lakelover]

I purchased 10.2, 6-CD, package from CheapBytes. This, apparently, is not an "offical" copy of Mandrake 10.2. What does that mean, and how do I upgrade to an Official version? Does that mean buying a box? I guess I have to have an Official package to get updates to the software.

[daniewicz]

I also bought this 6 CD set (and a cool t-shirt) . I am relatively new to linux and I do not understand how this 6 CD set differs from what one would purchase from Mandrake.

 

With regard to updates, an installation from this 6 CD set will upgrade just fine. There have been numerous 10.2 updates over the last several weeks and I have installed them all successfully.

[Guest Sophgoat]

This is a good question to which I have yet to receive a satisfactory reply.

 

Mandriva offers a free 3 CD/1 DVD version - this does not include any proprietary drivers or software. I believe it is free in both the sense of speech and beer (save bandwith costs, burning time, CDs). I recently purchased this from Linuxcd.org and have updated both computers with it.

 

It is also my understanding that I - or anyone else - can distribute these free versions of Mandriva but that the proprietary stuff involves licenses that do not apply to third party distributors.

 

So I have always wondered if Cheapbytes or others are offering versions of Mandriva that they technically do not have the rights to distribute?

 

This seems like an important issue to me. I bought 8.2 and 10 directly from Mandriiva (then Mandraike). But I bought 10.1 and LE2005 from Linuxcd.org. I'm on dialup and it's just not feasible to download the whole kaboodle. So I'm grateful to online vendors but I'm also concerned. I do not want to assist anyone is doing an end run around Mandriva's legitimate commercial versions.

 

Anyway. I'm not trying to accuse any online vendors or anyone else of being a thief. I would simply like to better understand the ins and outs of buying Mandriva.

[VeeDubb]

This was pretty well discussed in another topic, but there was never any real solid colclusions with any sort of authority.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the 6CD set that CheapBytes sells is NOT the 'free' download version. It is, as far as I can tell, actualy the same power-pac version that is available for download to MandrivaClub members, or for sale through the mandriva store.

 

The debate goes like this, everything on the CD is free, in the free beer sense. Everything is also, according to some, free in the freedom of speach speach/free software sense. Some argue that this is not the case. For certain, there is nothing on the CD's which is illegal to distribute on it's own. However, Mandriva maintanes that their liscense, prohuibits the redistribution of the Club CD's, and the sale of copies of the powerpack.

 

So, according to Mandriva, those disks are illegal pirated copies. According to CheapBytes, it's all GPL and Mandriva is out of their minds.

 

Since, we're dealing with companies and consumers in different countries, there's no legal risk, so what it comes down to, is this: Are you comfortable with buying a copy of software from CheapBytes, that Mandriva is trying to sell, and doesn't want CheapBytes selling?

 

Personaly, I am, because my last experience with Mandriva Store was so horrific that I almost switched distros. I'd be happy to pay full retail for the Mandriva Powerpac, but I hate buying direct, I'll NEVER join the club and no local stores carry it, so I'm left with no other option.

Edited May 21, 2005 by VeeDubb

[lakelover]

I started out with Mandrake 8 point something, buying directly from the Mandrake store. I purchsed three or four that way until I found CheapBytes. I didn't occur to me to question how they were selling so cheaply but then I guess I figured if one could download Mandrake free, why couldn't CheapBytes. I'm on dial-up, too, so it's not feasible to download. I even joined the Club one year because of some promotional deal.

 

So, that said, my main question revolves around my inability to undate my Mandriva. When I tried to do so on the Mandriva site, I got the message that I would have to upgrade to an "Official" program. Apparently, my problem is internal to my program set up. I've done a little research for a solution but have not understood what it is I need to do.

 

While I have purchased several versions of Mandrake, I am still a neophyte because, I have always dual booted with Windows and have relied on Windows more the Linux. When I bought my last computer two or three years ago it came loaded with Win XP, which has worked flawlessly. I don't really need Linux but I like to mess around and there are some things I really like about Linux, even though I have more set up problems.

 

Sorry for the long windage. If you have suggests for how I can update my program, (10.2) I'd appreciate the info.

[spinynorman]

I wouldn't worry about having an 'official' version of the distro. :)

 

To get updates, use the Easy Urpmi link at the top of the page. This will help you to set up sources, then you can use the Mandriva Control Centre to update your system; or urpmi, if you want to use the command line. See the FAQ for more information.

[adamw]

veedubb: it's not _our_ license that says anything about restricting redistribution; it's the licenses of the commercial software packages themselves. The commercial packages we include are each distributed under their own license terms, and some of these may prohibit redistribution. It'd be the person who wanted to distribute's responsibility to check each of these licenses to make sure they could legally distribute the software, and it'd be the software provider's responsibility (i.e. Adobe or Real or Nvidia or...) to pursue the enforcement of their license.