TheOpenCD turns 3.0!

moquist writes "TheOpenCD is back, and now you can evangelize FOSS like never before. This version includes the latest stable updates of all the old favorites for Windows (including OpenOffice, Firefox, and the GIMP) and, for the first time, an Ubuntu LiveCD so that people can see the same applications running in Linux. TheOpenCD 3.0 will be the official 2005 Software Freedom Day disc."

Comments

The GPL is not an EULA

[Xtifr]

Hmm, one thing that bugged me about the last version of the OpenCD was that it insisted you click on "I Agree" to the GPL before you install the software, which is silly, pointless and wrong. The GPL only covers distribution or other activities that would ordinarily be forbidden by copyright law. Installing and using the software is NOT one of those activities, and thus, end users do not and should not have to agree to the GPL.

Now maybe it's because the MS installer requires there to be some text for the user to agree to, but if that's the case, then I'd like to have them put something more appropriate there, like maybe, simply, "I'd like to use this free software".

As it is, people are left with the impression that this "Open Source" stuff has its own set of weird rules, even for end users! It may have weird rules for distributors and developers, but absolutely not for mere users! The GPL is a pretty intimidating thing for an end user to be faced with. Can you imagine how much more impressed they'd be if all they saw was a one-liner as above?

Why a LiveCD

[sirmikester]

What I don't understand is why this CD includes a Live Ubuntu Linux CD instead of just a collection of windows-installable programs. IMHO the greatest use of this CD was to show the public that open source software is usable on any OS including Windows. It was a good tool to use when trying to convince your friends/family of the benefits of open source. They could grab a copy of the CD, install a few programs onto their computer and try them out. That is something most people understand. A LiveCD is a hard concept to explain to people, unless they are pretty computer savy (try explaining booting from a cd to someone who has never installed windows...) Besides, if you wanted to a Ubuntu Live CD, why wouldn't you just use the offical Ubuntu LiveCD? I understand that the windows programs/installation browser are still on the CD, but why even have the LiveCD on there, just fill that space with more useful windows programs to show the assimilated the way.