openSuse licensing

[BrownieCat]

Originally Posted by growbag

OpenSUSE License - openSUSE

openSUSE is a cost-free project containing software that is released under GPL and/or GPLv2.

That means that anyone (private or commercial) is allowed to use it, and even modify it, and also copy it as many times as they want as long as they conform ot the GPL and/or GPLv2 licenses.

The openSUSE license only says that you agree not to rip off their logo, or use the collective works to make nuclear weapons or use it in countries that the US has banned it from.

If you live in one of those banned countries, or wish to use it to make nuclear weapons, then I guess you should not use openSUSE.

Maybe you should look at buying the boxed version of openSUSE, or even buying SLED instead, which is the commercial version of SUSE Linux from Novell.

But if your country is allowed to use Microsoft software, then surely you will also be allowed to use Linux and openSUSE!

That's right!
openSUSE is not closed-source, proprietary software owned by Novell; it's free software licensed under the GPL, which means you can redistribute it, install it on multiple computers, and use it any way you like.
What's more, openSUSE does not have an EULA, (Not any more, at least) like MS-Windows does. The MS-EULA binds you to the wall on the point of a gun, saying that you will not be allowed to use the software unless you agree to their 'terms and conditions' (I don't know them exactly, but I remember it's all a lot of junk about not redistributing it, modifying it, and essentially tells you that you're only 'renting' the OS for a set period of time') and you can't go on without agreeing to the EULA.
But openSUSE is LINUX, which means it's completely free as in freedom, and you can do whatever you like with it; that's the whole philosophy of Linux that makes it different from Windows and Mac, you don't need to agreee to an EULA and you actually have full rights over your software.

[Confuseling]

While true, none of this necessarily helps the OP. I've read about this before - very strange ideas held by Russian authorities about Linux being only for hackers, and something that ought to be suppressed. Or also, I imagine, corrupt authorities taking it upon themselves to extort money out of people by creatively interpreting laws that shouldn't really apply to free software in the first place.

S/he has my sympathies, and I hope can find a way around it - or that the authorities can be gently persuaded to change their minds.