MODx being sold by Glotoos.com (maybe eland.nu) ... are you aware?

posting here cos i am not sure what the best forum is for this...

i’ve been looking at CMS options lately, and tonight came across the following page:

http://webscripts.softpedia.com/script/Blog/Ajax-cms-blog-seo-script-web-2-0-39618.html

clicked on the screenshots and it looked familiar to something i saw a few days ago. checked my history and indeed it’s MODx - for sale at $49? i visited the site "glotoos" where it’s listed for sale here http://glotoos.com/scripts-c-21.html for just $19.95 - what a deal. did a quick google on "glotoos" and came across this post on the pligg forum:

http://forums.pligg.com/general-help/10761-selling-pligg.html

apparently you can by that "Digg clone script" also for $19.95.

not sure what other free stuff they’re trying to sell on that site, or are they licensed to sell it?

admin note: post topic modified for clarity

Naughty.

It even has the copy from the MODx site on the Softpedia download page with MODx visible in the Meta section of the screenshot, lol

The GPL specifically allows redistribution, and for a fee, but is quite clear on the conditions.

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.txt

You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, and
you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange for a fee.

I could offer a download of MODx for $20 on my site if I wanted to, or offer CDs of it by mail. As long as I abide by the terms of the license it’s perfectly legal.

That said, these people don’t appear to be in compliance with their license, since they have changed the name of the software, and are not offering it with the same license. Without actually seeing a copy of what they are distributing, it’s hard to say what else they are violating.

Thanks for pointing that out. They’re clearly violating our copyright as well, using the designs and copy without our permission. The site is registered to

clonehost.com
Mick Find ([email protected])
30957171
Fax:
Rygaardsvej 4-2-4
Fredericia, 7000
DK

What an unethical thief, or just someone that’s completely clued out at best. Any know anything about this individual, other than they’re a thief and clearly breaking copyright law and the GPL license? And since they’re hosted at the Planet in my hometown, US laws do apply.

Quote from: sottwell at Dec 17, 2007, 12:23 AM

That said, these people don’t appear to be in compliance with their license, since they have changed the name of the software,

Not to be pedantic, but I don’t think changing the name of the software violates the GPL at all.

Quote from: sottwell at Dec 17, 2007, 12:23 AM

and are not offering it with the same license. Without actually seeing a copy of what they are distributing, it’s hard to say what else they are violating.

Indeed, that’s the real issue.

Biggest issue to me is the blatant rip off of our copy, which is copyrighted. I am not sure about the license they’re distributing it under.

Quote from: rthrash at Dec 17, 2007, 10:36 AM

Biggest issue to me is the blatant rip off of our copy, which is copyrighted. I am not sure about the license they’re distributing it under.

i’m not a lawyer, not American (so dont know the law fully there) and don’t know about the license in question. sooooo... having established i am clueless...

perhaps the first thing is to contact them asking them to cease and desist violating your copyright and at the same time asking licensing questions to establish whether any other rights are being infringed upon.

if they are uncooperative and/or evasive, then the possibility exists to contact their host and/or even their domain registrar and request a cease and desist (of the copyright violation) under the DMCA.

it is also possible i guess to register there to see what their payment processor is, and notify that processor of the situation, if they have no right to sell what they are selling.

since they’re also selling pligg, it might be worth contacting the people there to see what their position is, and if they’re selling MODx and pligg, my money is on the other stuff they’re selling also being freely available somewhere.

it could be they are just a bit misguided/don’t understand fully what they’re allowed to do (i also don’t know what they are allowed to do), but i guess if they’re notified and aren’t co-operative it shows they know exactly what they are doing.

i just skimmed their terms and conditions:

http://glotoos.com/terms-and-conditions.html

and was struck by this:

Glotoos.com provides webmasters with scripts, games, programs, e-books, templates and much more at very low prices. Therefore we cannot do the following:

*Give you any kind of support on installing products bought at our shop (Unless you buy the installation services). *Money back: We do not offer any money back guarantees. *Any guarantees at all.

and this:

You agree to that we can’t work more than a max. of 1 hour on your script installation request. If your script is not installed correct at the end of 1 hour we reserve the rignt to stop working on your server immediately. You also agree to that no money will be given back to you for us failing the installation request.

um... so they sell you free scripts (at "very low prices") and in return you get no guarantees at all, and no refund if you pay them extra to install it and they don’t do it.

what’s the catch?

um... so they sell you free scripts (at "very low prices") and in return you get no guarantees at all, and no refund if you pay them extra to install it and they don’t do it.

what’s the catch?

Thanks for that...still chuckling.

Any know anything about this individual, other than they’re a thief and clearly breaking copyright law and the GPL license?

That sounds like a good chance to put this article to use:
http://freelanceswitch.com/clients/how-to-run-background-checks-on-clients/

Maybe:

http://kevdb.infospace.com/home/white-pages/kevdb?QN=Find&QF=Mick&qc=&kcfg=email&otmpl=white-pages%2Femail%2Fresults.htm&qk=10&top=1&qcat=email&qname=Mick+Find&qs=&qo=

Good luck!


Taff

Being a dane, I checked his phonenumber, his full name is Mick John Find Malan (not a very danish name though), and the real-life address is correct in the whois.

I’m no expert on the license, but if it has been broken, I wouldn’t expect that it would be a huge problem to make him stop, the question is if it’s worth it.

Quote from: ganeshXL at Dec 18, 2007, 02:33 AM

Maybe it’s time we send our pirate Dr. Scotty over

Yarrrr!
I’ll make the scurvy dog walk the plank >:(

-sD-
Dr. Scotty Delicious, DFPA.