Media Portal being sold on ebay!! ?? (1 Viewer)

[Marcusb]

It's too late for this current release, but I always think that when you are installing MP there should be a link to the MP home page with wording something like "MediaPortal, free forever". At least this way the people on eBay can't sell any newer versions.

 

[Khris]

Well once again Ebay has removed my listing.

It's obvious that Ebay is just out for money and doesn't really care about honesty and integrity so I will not be relisting, nor will I ever be using Ebay again.

I will continue to email buyers to let them know that Media Portal is free in the hopes of creating a bigger awareness of both Media Portal, and how Ebay is catering to the thieves.

 

[pieroxy]

It's obvious that Ebay is just out for money and doesn't really care about honesty and integrity so I will not be relisting, nor will I ever be using Ebay again.

I think you are being hugely unfair to eBay here. eBay if a website running auctions for people that have something for sale.

Placing an auction with foul language that does not sell anything deserves to be shut down. There are other ways (at least I'm pretty sure of it) to remove a listing that would be illegal. But then, I don't think there's anything illegal about this listing. So I am not sure these guys deserve to be shut down.

Moreover, destruction only call for more destruction, so I think a constructive approach to this problem will seed much more results than a destructive one.

JazZman had a proposal which is a perfect solution for your moral problem. These guys sell MP on ebay: Compete with them!

Just open up an auction selling MP 0.1.3 on a CD for $10. Write down that the soft is GPL and that this auction is here for convenience for people having no decent access to the web, and the software can otherwise be obtained from mediaportal.sourceforge.net for free. Make sure all your keywords match whatever keywords those guys are using and you will kill them right there, fair and square.

You can even make a buck or two for every sale that you might share with Frodo or anyone else.

This is a constructive way: You compete on their ground, inform people and sell something. Doesn't that sound better than trying to shut them down?

 

[mzemina]

pieroxy - But what do you tell people when it says (like Marcusb pointed out) that on the main home page it states: "MediaPortal, free forever"? Maybe we could add under that in fine print support extra? <tongue-in-cheek sarcacism mode off> But then does the MP Team start charging for any answer on this forum? It gets kinda confusing after awhile.

Mike

 

[Khris]

It's obvious that Ebay is just out for money and doesn't really care about honesty and integrity so I will not be relisting, nor will I ever be using Ebay again.

I think you are being hugely unfair to eBay here. eBay if a website running auctions for people that have something for sale.

Placing an auction with foul language that does not sell anything deserves to be shut down. There are other ways (at least I'm pretty sure of it) to remove a listing that would be illegal. But then, I don't think there's anything illegal about this listing. So I am not sure these guys deserve to be shut down.

Moreover, destruction only call for more destruction, so I think a constructive approach to this problem will seed much more results than a destructive one.

JazZman had a proposal which is a perfect solution for your moral problem. These guys sell MP on ebay: Compete with them!

Just open up an auction selling MP 0.1.3 on a CD for $10. Write down that the soft is GPL and that this auction is here for convenience for people having no decent access to the web, and the software can otherwise be obtained from mediaportal.sourceforge.net for free. Make sure all your keywords match whatever keywords those guys are using and you will kill them right there, fair and square.

You can even make a buck or two for every sale that you might share with Frodo or anyone else.

This is a constructive way: You compete on their ground, inform people and sell something. Doesn't that sound better than trying to shut them down?

I was in the middle of a reply to you when I realized that I really don't care anymore, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[jazZman]

Hi Kris,
You have done the right thing, don't give up the fight mate
Like you I find the profiteering an insult.

I plan to go ahead with my idea selling on ebay, but before I do I want to know what Frodo and the other Dev's think.

If their OK with it then it's a go, if not then I'll leave it alone.

Some input on what should go onto the disk would also be helpful.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[pieroxy]

Some input on what should go onto the disk would also be helpful.

I think the disk should be setup as follows:

* The msi install file. I actually think it's not a bad idea to include the 013 and the latest.
* A README.txt, including what is the software, which license it uses, how to install, why the CD, where to download updates, where to find infos (forums...), which version the user should run (if you include several), etc...
* A folder called 'src', containing the CVS branch for every release you included
* LICENSE.txt including the GPL
* Autorun.inf launching README.txt. Not sure about that one, but it might be a good idea.

I can't think of anything else.

 

[spachti]

Hmmm,
could it be, that somebody is trying to sell the program now "legally" ?? Only a thought.

 

[SiLenTYL]

jazZman :

Any profit we could forward on to Frodo and the guys to buy toys with to assist the ongoing development.
This would act as a deterrent to the bottom feeders that pry upon the gullible

i really dont see how that works

u take their money..how does Frodo know u r giving him the correct amount?

your statement could be construed as very manipulative and untrustworthy

a donation is a donation

what part of "FREE" dont u understand?

 

[pieroxy]

what part of "FREE" dont u understand?

There's just something I don't understand here. Are you trying to imply that you are against any money made with this product? Don't take my question the wrong way, but english is not my mother tongue and I didn't understand where you were trying to go...

I think jazZman just wants to kill off people misrepresenting MP on ebay. One of the best way is to sell it - to compete on their ground - but doing that in the purpose to inform and help those without internet (or without a fast access at least).

In that process, he might make a few bucks, just because he most certainly don't want to loose any money, so overpricing by a fair amount (a buck or two) just insures him over any potential losses.

Now, to be fair with who made the soft in the first place, he proposes to redistribute any excedent to Frodo - as a donation because he accepts donations for his project.

Now what I don't get in your post is the following:
1. "how does Frodo know u r giving him the correct amount?". Why does it matter? Frodo is giving away his software under the GPL. Everyone here is in total respect of this license, so why should Frodo be owed a "correct amount"?
2. "u take their money"... Who takes what money? jazZman might take the money of some potential buyer and ship them a CD. That's just a regular transaction - a trade. What's wrong with that?
3. "what part of 'FREE' dont u understand?". Well, as far as I can tell, jazZman is trying to help the project here, by respecting the license it's under. He even goes further: He propose to redistribute to the project any benefit he could make out of the sales. So as far as I can tell, he understands FREE very well - at least the free that is described in the GPL.

Again, don't get me wrong here, I am just trying to understand the spirit of the dev community for MP. When I first read it was licensed under the GPL, I thought I got it, but it looks more and more like I was in the wrong.

So is the spirit "You shall not make a dime off of our software"? If so, I think you chose the wrong license.