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Root Can someone explain Android License? Why "donations"

N

novemberwhiskey

Android Enthusiast
I see developers asking for "donations" and I am wondering if this is because Android is open source.

Can someone please explain to me if this is correct? Why don't they just charge for certain things?

You can charge for an app, but not any mods to the OS?
 
It has nothing to do with it being open source. Basically your donating to the cause. Donating for them doing all of the hard work for users like us to enjoy.
 
Yeah, I get that part.

I am speaking strictly from a legal standpoint: can the devs charge for their work?

Ex: can you charge for the CM7 port? or any other ROM (e.g. Apex, Liberty)?

I was guessing that you can't, which is why they ask for donations as opposed to straight payments.

I am pretty sure the Android Open Source license prohibits charging for the OS or any derivations you make from the OS, but I dunno how this relates to ROMs/customizations.
 
Yes if they so choose they can charge. But they don't. They spend hours and hours making these roms. And they take donations for rioter hard work. And then they use it for web hosting. New phones to work on.and so on
 
From what I see Jrummy is charging for Liberty Toolbox Donate which has the latest version of Liberty ROM on it at any given time. Sure you can go get a slightly older version free but he's making you pay for his latest work. Fission ROM Manager was the same iirc.

I don't think it's that they can't charge you for it but they enjoy what they do and they only ask for donations from those who are capable and willing to do so.
 
Android is distributed mostly under the Apache license. Devs can charge for whatever they want as long as the source that they retain (they don't have to distribute it) keeps all the copyright notices of any previous owners/contributors of the code.

This is contrary to the GPL licensing which requires allowing redistribution of code, thus making charging for works difficult since you're supposed to comply with written requests for the source.

Take a look here:

Licenses | Android Open Source

There's nothing that restricts modifying and redistributing the modifications for profit. In fact, if there were, that would undermine the entire handset vendor process since they make proprietary modifications to the Android source and are ostensibly profiting from it.

The request for donations is common in the developer communities for more than just phones. People like working on this stuff, but they also like to feel that their time is worth something.
 
Most of these dudes work all night hours trying to figure out the solutions to the little annoyances that we all inevitably have with our phones. Also, it's not like they're demanding donations. If you want to donate, they have an options because a lot of people actually ask the dev's how to donate to their cause.
 
imronburgundy said:
Most of these dudes work all night hours trying to figure out the solutions to the little annoyances that we all inevitably have with our phones. Also, it's not like they're demanding donations. If you want to donate, they have an options because a lot of people actually ask the dev's how to donate to their cause.
Click to expand...

I don't think the dude is asking why developers want money for their work. He's just asking about the legality of charging for modifications to an open source OS.
 
binary visions said:
I don't think the dude is asking why developers want money for their work. He's just asking about the legality of charging for modifications to an open source OS.
Click to expand...

Thank you. You are precisely right, and your post was very helpful. :)

For the record, I am merely interested in how the licensing and Copyrighting works when it comes to Android, ROMs, etc. I know there are some licenses which prohibit charging for certain things, and compel you to contribute your derivation to the community or at least make it available.

Just wondering how that all plays out with what we are doing here.
 
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