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General discussion

Breach of GPL?

Mar 14, 2006 2:22PM PST

Earlier today I was browsing the free software sites like I always do trying to find something good to write about. Well, I came across an application that I thought looked interesting, it was an audio application. The podcaster in me became even more curious...

On further investigation, the application, NeoSound, looked a lot like the program Audacity. I thought, OK, MAYBE they added more features, maybe they included an MP3 encoder by default.

I downloaded and installed the application and during the installation I got a box that asked me if wanted to install WebHancer, here is a quote from the EULA:

THIS SOFTWARE RELAYS YOUR WEB SURFING
PERFORMANCE METRICS TO WEBHANCER CORP. TO
GENERATE PERFORMANCE REPORTS FOR THIRD
PARTIES. AS SUCH, YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION
WILL BE USED PERIODICALLY TO SEND AND RECEIVE
DATA.

I of course said NO, and continued. I opened the application and it is Audacity, throughout, the ONLY thing that I can tell that has changed is that they have added an MPEG audio decoder, MAD, WHICH IS FREE.

So, my reason for posting here is what are your thoughts? Is this a legitimate program? Is there more to the program that I don't see? Is it a breach of the GPL and should someone be contacted about it and whom?

Links:

NeoSound
http://www.neosoundfx.com/

Audacity
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

WebHancer
http://webhancer.com/

Discussion is locked

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close inspection
Mar 14, 2006 2:37PM PST

I was going to write about how there was some blatant copying going on, but then I noticed this at the bottom of the Neosound page:
Neosound FX is based on Audacity.
(with the word Audactiy linking to Audacity's site)

So basically, we have a self-acknowleged repackaging here. Not as bad as I thought.

-Ryan

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I saw that too
Mar 14, 2006 2:40PM PST

I guess if it acknowledges that its Audacity its OK, even though its SADLY packaging spyware with it.