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Tricked Into Buying OpenOffice.org?

Posted by timothy on from the sucker-born-jede-Minute dept.

mldkfa writes "Recently I told a friend about OpenOffice and how it was a great alternative to the big name pay office suites. She went home and searched on Google for it and thought she found the website, filled typical registration information, and downloaded OpenOffice.org 3.0. The next time she opened her e-mail she found a request for 98 [Euro] for her 1-year subscription to OpenOffice.org 3.0 from the company that she downloaded it from. Apparently the EULA stated this cost and here in Germany she is required to pay up. So I thought I would ask Slashdot, should she pay? On the OpenOffice.org German website there is a warning of these schemes being legal. Shouldn't Sun change the license of OpenOffice.org to protect their fans or are they doing this to protect someone else? It has really made me think about recommending it to any more friends." Below, read Google's translation of the warning; it wouldn't be the first time that open source software has been lightly repackaged and sold in ways that should raise eyebrows among anyone familiar with the wide, free availability of the same apps. Google translates the warning message thus: "WARNING before downloading from any third party: The download of OpenOffice.org is free from this page possible. These are not personal data. In recent times, however, we can reach more complaints about companies that the program for a fee for downloading. Among other leading search engines to search for OpenOffice.org to pay "download subscriptions. We want to emphasize that we have these offers are not affiliated and is not responsible. Due to the open-source philosophy allowed our license, but also the sale. When you download OpenOffice.org under no circumstances disclose your personal information!"

4 of 543 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What if she doesn't want to break the law? by lordsid · · Score: 0, Troll

    EULA's are not legally binding in any court of law anywhere and never will be.

    --
    IMAGE VERIFICATION IS EVIL!
  2. Re:What if she doesn't want to break the law? by Tiber · · Score: 0, Troll

    Yeah, GERMAN LAW.

    What are they going to do? Not poop on her chest?

  3. Re:Where do people find these sites? by jafiwam · · Score: 0, Troll

    Google ad words.

    The "friend" clicked on an ad.

    When the google ad word account is used up, it no longer appears.

    Googling 101 material dude.

    Want to buy a bridge?

  4. Tricked into buying what? by macraig · · Score: 0, Troll

    Wait... what? She was tricked into buying an already registered domain?

    (You decide: is TFA's title careless, or is naming a software product after an Internet hostname careless?)