Re: Windows (and Mac OS X?) packagers: GPL is not a EULA nor a clickthrough

[Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso]

2012/3/7 Michael Goffioul <address@hidden>:
> On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 7:53 PM, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso
> <address@hidden> wrote:
>> 2012/3/7 John W. Eaton <address@hidden>:
>>> On  7-Mar-2012, Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso wrote:
>>>
>>> | I know it's common practice to make Windows installers where you press
>>> | next, next, next until the program is installed. If you've made one of
>>> | those for Octave, usually one of the next buttons is about a license,
>>> | at least that is the case with the NSIS installer. If it's possible to
>>> | omit that screen entirely, please do so. If not, please put some bogus
>>> | text in there explaining how the NSIS installer makes it difficult to
>>> | omit this screen but that you don't need to accept the GPL in order to
>>> | use Octave. Please also do similar for the Mac OS X bundle if it works
>>> | in a similar fashion.
>>>
>>> It seems to me that the text on that screen should be short and
>>> explain the GPL in simple terms with a link to the GPL or an option to
>>> view it.  It might be a good idea to display this information even if
>>> is not required by the installer script generator software.
>>
>> Right, my point is more about how you have to click on "I agree" or
>> tick a box that says that before you're allowed to hit "next". This is
>> awkward for the GPL. I like what Firefox does (or did?) where it just
>> installed and after installation it shows a splash screen that has a
>> link that says "know your rights" if you really care to know.
>
> If that's the "I agree" text that bothers you, that can be easily
> changed to simply say "Next" (without to have to tick any box). Or the
> page can simply by skipped, it's as easy. I you want another text to
> be displayed, please provide the text and I'll include it.

If it's easy to skip the page, I think that would be preferrable. I
don't have to read legalese to install any free software on Debian,
and neither should Windows users.

- Jordi G. H.