Is it worthwhile starting an online freeware and open source software compilations service? Would it be legal?
Question:
Answer:
If it's genuinely freeware and open source I don't see a problem. Get some extra revenue by running Google ads on the site.
check with yahoo
Funny thing you should ask that...
My best friend from high school (many long years ago) runs a freeware listing site and he regularly has links to others in the same market.
Google FREEWARE REVOLUTION and check out the people who are into freeware.
Also, my friend's site is listed below
There are tons of those sites out there - you would not be alone. No single one of them has everything, but SimTel and TwoCows together would account for a good majority of the older stuff. CNet and ThinkGeek accounts for most of the new stuff.
Nothing to keep you from having an index of stuff. It's totally legal as long as they allow you to distribute their releases. But you have to check and see if the item is still free or if it is now licensed. Some original freeware is now shareware or totally commercial and they dont want the free versions floating around anymore.
Just be sure to have a contact form on the site and a legal disclaimer that at the time of publication the programs were complete free to distribute, and if that is not the case anymore, the authors are welcome to contact you for individual program removal.
You would be competing with download.com, betanews,com, fileflash.com, etc.
Yes it's legal to distribute share ware.
It depends on the "Terms and Conditions" of the FreeWare. I think best if you test the software you want to offer, once you have your list contact the programmers/whoever owns copy right.
Should not be a problem as developers design and release feeware to encourage consumers to try, then buy their full versions.
It's legal, but there is a ton of competition out there. How would your service be different from cnet? or freeware.com?
When you say you'll test it - you'll be verifying it for a specific platform, which may not be what the user has. With your testing, what guarantee are you offering...
Nice idea, but I think that there's a bunch of stuff out there.
More Questions & Answers...