[Nix-dev] Packaging free software that costs money

[Philip Carlsen]

Den 6. jul. 2016 2.19 PM skrev "Profpatsch" <mail at profpatsch.de>:
>
> On 16-07-06 11:58am, zimbatm wrote:
> > We can provide the derivation but ask the user to download the source
> > themselves. I think we already have such a mechanism in place for
non-free
> > software.
>
> But that’s not necessary at all. The source is available openly
> and we can also have hydra build the binaries.
>
> Nothing is different from a libre/free software, except there is
> some kind of price tag attached (that is oftentimes pay what you want).
>
> Hm, maybe it’s time to respect the money aspect:
>
> meta = {
>   monetary = {
>     type = "donation" | "mandatory";
>     amount = "10 USD";
>     recur = "monthly";
>     url = "https://project.com/buy";
>   };
> };
>
> $ nix-build -A ardour
> error: ardour is free as in freedom (GPL-2), but not free as in beer.
> The authors require a monthly payment of 10 USD to use their software.
> Please visit https://ardour.org/download.html.
> Once you supported the project, use `lib.isPaid` to install it.

Consider instead something like thks in nixpkgs config:
ardour = {
  isPaid = true;
}

>
> Thoughts?
>

I think this is a great solution. It is very simple and it raises awareness
of the fact that it is completely fine to ask for funding when you build
free software. While it doesn't give any guarantees that anyone will pay it
nudges people just a little bit towards contributing to the project.

I also think that having this encouragement to pay as an integral part of
the distribution channel to end users will discourage the development of
'anti-features' such as checks for licence files.

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