Open Source Kickstarter Report Card (Updated)

[Peter W A Wood]

> On 18 Aug 2015, at 11:29, Richard Gaskin <ambassador at fourthworld.com> wrote:
> 
> Peter W A Wood wrote:
> 
> > After all, it looks to me that you cannot sell GPL licensed software
> > through the Windows App Store....
> 
> I couldn't find anything definitive on that.  I did find some older articles about Win8 licensing suggesting FOSS was prohibited, but I also found this one from 2011 that says the opposite:
> 
>   Windows 8 Store will allow open source apps,
>   unlike iOS and Mac App Stores
>   ...
>    The section in question states that apps released under a license
>    from the Open Source Initiative (GPL, Apache, etc.) can be
>    distributed in the Windows Store. Further, it says that the OSI
>    license will trump the Microsoft Standard Application License
>    Terms, namely the the restriction on sharing applications.
> <http://www.extremetech.com/computing/108551-windows-8-store-will-allow-open-source-apps-unlike-ios-and-mac>
> 
> And that was back when Ballmer was still there.  Since Nadella took the helm Microsoft has fallen in love with Linux, started moving their dev tools to open source, and is partnering with Ubuntu as a key component of their Azure cloud platform.  (No, really, it's like hell froze over in a flock of flying pigs - the photo here is priceless, something no one ever expected for decades: <http://news.softpedia.com/news/CEO-Satya-Nadella-Microsoft-Loves-Linux-462754.shtml> )
> 
> Anyone have a definitive notice on this, preferably one from Microsoft themselves?

I interpreted this clause from the latest Windows Store App Developer Agreement, to mean that GPL software cannot be sold via the App Store:

d.	FOSS Software. If your App includes FOSS, (i) you are responsible for compliance with all applicable FOSS license terms, including any source code availability requirements, and (ii) it must not cause any non-FOSS Microsoft software to become subject to the terms of any FOSS license.
I could well be wrong though.

Regards

Peter