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vbgunz
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Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 615
Location: Florida
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 Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 9:00 am Post subject: Is it possible to make money with Abyss? |
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Is it possible to make money with Abyss? I checked the license and I see I can't sell it as a standalone product, I can't modify it and neither can I bundle it up with other products... OK.
Is it possible then to sell not the product but the service of configuring it to work with some powerful scripts for someone elses machine?
I've managed to complete a very robust environment and with Abyss at its heart. No two packages are ever the same as every package has to be customized for every client, so theirs no one package deal distribution...
Is this OK? I am pretty sure it is but wish to ask in the public incase any lawyers from both sides happens to read this. I'd really like your input about the matter at hand.
Every script I have configured is open source and all that isn't GNU is Abyss. Abyss is the only thing holding me back from servicing to the public a customized solution, only because of its license... Aprelium whats your thought on this subject and what should I do and avoid?
Thanks for any feedback in regards to whats possible in fitting the bill and what isn't. I really love Abyss and don't want to leave it and chances are I won't no matter what the decision but I am sure something could be worked out without me violating the license and doing business under the table.
I hope you understand :) Please post here in the forums, PM me or email me as soon as time permits. Thank you :)
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Victor B. Gonzalez
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aprelium
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Joined: 22 Mar 2002
Posts: 6800
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 3:15 pm Post subject: Re: Is it possible to make money with Abyss? |
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vbgunz,
To not infringe the Abyss Web Server license, you should never sell or sub-license Abyss Web Server to other people.
If you intend to make some money from your knowledge using Abyss Web Server and other popular free scripts, you should only charge people for that knowledge, not for using/copying/installing Abyss Web Server.
Please refer to the "SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS" section in the license for more information as it seems to suit your case.
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talkRowing
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Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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| So if i get you (which i might not) Then you cannot sell the product of the combined customised solution, but he could very well sell the service of his time in setting up the system? |
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vbgunz
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Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 615
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| talkRowing wrote: | | So if i get you (which i might not) Then you cannot sell the product of the combined customised solution, but he could very well sell the service of his time in setting up the system? |
This is exactly what I am talking about... My time goes into every copy as their is no master copy and every copy needs personal customization. If I do not offer my time to my target market chances are they'll never or no time soon enough in their life get around to serving web pages...
I am composing a reply to Aprelium to make public now. I hope Aprelium understands the reason why I am asking not for permission but for his or her input. The only piece to the puzzle which is not GNU is Abyss. If I simply remove that one product from the equasion and replace it with a GNU product such as Apache I can flat out sell the package and my time...
I would like to choose Abyss for this task. I am finishing my reply now. Thank you for your support and please feel free to reach me any way possible :)
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Victor B. Gonzalez
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vbgunz
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Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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Location: Florida
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Is it possible to make money with Abyss? |
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| aprelium wrote: | | To not infringe the Abyss Web Server license, you should never sell or sub-license Abyss Web Server to other people. |
I am not trying to sell it. In fact, clients would know Abyss is a free stand alone product with its own license. I am not trying to sub-license Abyss either though is their an option or special permission possibly available?
Overall, I am not trying to sell what is already free. I am simply trying to sell the "configuration" as their is no one master copy... Everything needs configuring, even Abyss for each and every client. | aprelium wrote: | | If you intend to make some money from your knowledge using Abyss Web Server and other popular free scripts, you should only charge people for that knowledge, not for using/copying/installing Abyss Web Server. |
I somewhat understand as I feel strongly my point is valid. If I had one master package I might ask for a set of different permissions but my package consist of the job of having to "configure" every copy. Every job is a custom job and every job consist of more than "here you go".
If anyone I make my time available to thinks they can turn around and simply mass distribute it their sadly mistaken... Every job is for the client only. Sets of passwords, directories, URLs unique only to them have to be configured... | aprelium wrote: | | Please refer to the "SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS" section in the license for more information as it seems to suit your case. |
OK, I can meet both rules and still make money for my time without a problem... But it makes more work for everyone involved which increases my time spent per client and increases the price for my services.
If I do it as according to the distribution rights it increases the chances of errors and questions, time spent by both the client and I and could result in a bad relationship all together...
My method is one install, click and go... Thats it. the only thing modified on Abyss is how and where it gets installed with a personalized installer customized for the client and the conf file which accompanies it to work in tandem with all the scripts packaged...
I think Abyss can definitely handle the job. If I need special permission, what do I need and to whom do I ask? Thank you for listening :)
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Victor B. Gonzalez
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goose
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Joined: 17 Sep 2002
Posts: 608
Location: The Land Of OZ! come here toto!
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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i see what yu are doing ....but why try to sell it ?
i know of kits like this that are freely available to use under opensource , mind you the scripts(including the webserver) used are all opensource ...
why not just release as freeware yourself the (scriptswith abyss) in kitform and configured to run straight of the bat?
or sell the scripts individually?
one kit that comes to mind is phpdev4! there are others....
8) :wink: :idea: |
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vbgunz
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Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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Location: Florida
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 1:01 am Post subject: |
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I can't make a single stand alone master version. Every version needs to be configured in order to work so I can not have or offer one master kit. I will most likely offer some free copies to some people but not to the majority - it will be very impractical not to mention time consuming if I had to customized every single copy distributed.
Even if it all worked in one shot and I passed it out for free I would still be in violation of the Abyss license... I have been looking for alternatives and have so far found a few good contenders with nice GUIs.
Anyway, I would rather use Abyss and though I could've kept it to myself I in no way wish to walk in the shadow of license violations... I love Abyss but not enough to violate any terms...
Its all good :)
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Victor B. Gonzalez
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datwig
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Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| Are we allowed to use Abyss to host a website in which we sell products? I don't want to sell Abyss, just other products. |
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aprelium
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Joined: 22 Mar 2002
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| datwig wrote: | | Are we allowed to use Abyss to host a website in which we sell products? I don't want to sell Abyss, just other products. |
Yes, you are allowed to do so. Your web site is your responsibilty and you can do what you want with it.
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aprelium
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Joined: 22 Mar 2002
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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vbgunz,
You cannot pack a running copy of Abyss Web Server and distribute it. This will infringe the license. Only original and unmodified packages of Abyss Web Server can be distributed. Those packages are the ones that you can download from our web site. Any other form of distribution, especially if you unpack the files and repack them, is prohibited.
So how to do in that case? Since only the abyss.conf file holds all the configuration of the web server, you can save that file and install it on your customers computers. One suggestion on how to do so:
* Create a installer that invokes Abyss Web Server package and install it.
* Once finished, copy your abyss.conf file to the right place
* Populate the htdocs/ directory with the scripts/files.
The key idea is to not unpack Abyss Web Server and distribute it. Why that restriction? Because we cannot guarantee to your end users that the server has not been modified. We cannot support and allow the distribution of such modified versions.
If you really want to include Abyss Web Server in a one-click installer, you should get a special license from us and this won't be free of course.
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vbgunz
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Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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Location: Florida
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2003 1:16 am Post subject: |
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I understand. Thank you for your time.
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Victor B. Gonzalez
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