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is this illegal? Just curious

by Xtronikz Banned
31 replies
Is group buying for example a plugin for $250 with multi site license with about 20+ people all chipping in for the license illegal?

I have seen these around recently but dont want to do anything illegal! Thanks guys.
#curious #illegal
  • Profile picture of the author Mr. Ken Russell
    Illegal? No..

    Unethical? Yes.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    I don't know about legality but I'm sure it's against the seller's Terms Of Service. Most often a software license is for one user, not a group.
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  • Profile picture of the author Xtronikz
    Banned
    yeah thats what I was thinking. Just wanting to check before I got myself into a little scuffle and thought who not check the WF where all the product creators are.

    Thanks you guys!
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  • Profile picture of the author garveyonweb
    Originally Posted by Xtronikz View Post

    Is group buying for example a plugin for $250 with multi site license with about 20+ people all chipping in for the license illegal?

    I have seen these around recently but dont want to do anything illegal! Thanks guys.

    Illegal, Yes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rebeccha Haase
    You can do illegal things in legal ways. Then you will have no problem at all.
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    • Profile picture of the author jamesrich1
      Originally Posted by Rebeccha Haase View Post

      You can do illegal things in legal ways. Then you will have no problem at all.
      Huh? Is that a oxymoron? Lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author 300SMG
    Why not contact the plugin owner and explain the situation. I'm sure they'd work with you..after all a $250 sale is a $250 sale
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  • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
    Originally Posted by Xtronikz View Post

    Is group buying for example a plugin for $250 with multi site license with about 20+ people all chipping in for the license illegal?

    I have seen these around recently but dont want to do anything illegal! Thanks guys.
    knowing the net crowd I would say it's probably illegal or unethical at best.

    if they were pooling money to have the buyer of a developers license install on one site, I would say kool they get to see how the product works and maybe purchase themselves down the road.

    if however they are each going to pass the plugin around well its just plain wrong.

    i recently saw someone on ebay who purchased a developer license of a wso plugin and they were selling the plugin on ebay, most likely to install it on the auction winners site. i didn't think this was wrong, but did feel that it was highly unethical due to the fact that he didn't mention the real name of the plugin, nor did he build a site with the plugin installed already.
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    • Profile picture of the author Xtronikz
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Walter Parrish View Post

      knowing the net crowd I would say it's probably illegal or unethical at best.

      if they were pooling money to have the buyer of a developers license install on one site, I would say kool they get to see how the product works and maybe purchase themselves down the road.

      if however they are each going to pass the plugin around well its just plain wrong.

      i recently saw someone on ebay who purchased a developer license of a wso plugin and they were selling the plugin on ebay, most likely to install it on the auction winners site. i didn't think this was wrong, but did feel that it was highly unethical due to the fact that he didn't mention the real name of the plugin, nor did he build a site with the plugin installed already.
      Yeah so pretty much its what everyone is mainly saying is that its not illegal just highly unethical.
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  • Profile picture of the author Resale Rights Ninja
    Yeah I would consider that against most products t.o.s making it both illegal and unethical. But most people who would do this don't really care about whether what they are doing is illegal or not.
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  • Profile picture of the author TomerN
    You won't go to jail over it, or get sued for that matter, but it's unethical. as a software developer, piracy like that really hurts the bottom line. for a few bucks more, everyone can get their own license and support great software in the long run...
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  • Profile picture of the author TeamBringIt
    Most software/plugins are for 1 person with 1-3 pcs..... That's the TOS usually
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  • Profile picture of the author mrozlat
    Originally Posted by Xtronikz View Post

    Is group buying for example a plugin for $250 with multi site license with about 20+ people all chipping in for the license illegal?

    I have seen these around recently but dont want to do anything illegal! Thanks guys.
    a multi site licence is usually for developers... and if a developer firm where to buy it for their team of staff... how is that any different from a bunch of people chipping in for a multi site licence?
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  • Profile picture of the author CyberSEO
    That depends on the plugin license. In case if it's GPL, such sort of things is not illegal but of course it's unethical. However if the license is mixed and the plugin includes both GPL and proprietary components (read more about mixed licenses), then it is surely illegal.
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  • Profile picture of the author JeremiahSay
    Different products different T&C, why not contact the owner and explain your situation, I'm pretty sure the owner will give you a straight forward "yes" or "no" answer.

    It's not up to us to decide whether it's illegal.

    Hope this help,
    Jeremiah
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  • Profile picture of the author Deepak Media
    If the seller finds out he will ban your account!
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    • Profile picture of the author Xtronikz
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Deepak Media View Post

      If the seller finds out he will ban your account!

      interesting. thank you!
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  • Profile picture of the author gpwilson
    I really do not think that it is illegal. How many computer user use original Microsoft windows? Very few right?
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    • Profile picture of the author Fredbou
      Originally Posted by gpwilson View Post

      How many computer user use original Microsoft windows? Very few right?
      I hope that's not true! Using copied MS Windows is certainly illegal.
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      • Profile picture of the author Xtronikz
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Fredbou View Post

        I hope that's not true! Using copied MS Windows is certainly illegal.
        Yeah lol it is illegal. That much I know hehe!
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    Looks like copyright infringement to me. A multi-site license means the person buying the license can use it on multiple sites they own. It does not mean multiple persons get a license.

    Just because 20 people chip in to buy something does not mean 20 people are clicking the buy button and agreeing to the license terms. Only one person does that, and they have the license.

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author Fredbou
      Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

      Looks like copyright infringement to me. A multi-site license means the person buying the license can use it on multiple sites they own. It does not mean multiple persons get a license.

      Just because 20 people chip in to buy something does not mean 20 people are clicking the buy button and agreeing to the license terms. Only one person does that, and they have the license.

      .
      Spot on, exactly correct!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Brownsword
    If you were selling the plugin, would you want others doing this to you?

    Could you afford support, etc. if a few hundred of your customers did this to you?

    Didn't think so...
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    • Profile picture of the author shelahc
      Originally Posted by Tom Brownsword View Post

      If you were selling the plugin, would you want others doing this to you?

      Could you afford support, etc. if a few hundred of your customers did this to you?

      Didn't think so...
      You are so right.... "do unto others as you would have done to you" comes into play here.
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  • Profile picture of the author shelahc
    Personally if I question the ethics of something and it even hints of being unethical, it's an automatic NO-NO. From that point, I don't even get as far as to question the legality of it.

    IMHO, If it is unethical then it SHOULD be illegal.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ben Gordon
    It matters. If it's not against the sellers TOS then you can surely do it. But, yes, as many stated previously, it is quite unethical to do this. I would personally purchase the license alone but it's ultimately your decision (as long as it's not against the seller's TOS). Great that you reminded me though - gotta put that it my TOS!
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  • Profile picture of the author Time to get up and move
    Dont forget "What you do today is who you are tomorrow" !
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  • Profile picture of the author owenlee
    Of cos you can...but without the owner knowledge..

    But think of this before you do it : How would you feel if you are the owner?

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    • Profile picture of the author Fredbou
      Originally Posted by owenlee View Post

      Of cos you can...but without the owner knowledge..

      But think of this before you do it : How would you feel if you are the owner?
      Yeah, exactly! You write an amazing e-book and sell it and the next thing is it's being passed around and others are giving it away, re-selling it, etc.

      Like a musician makes an album and all these el creepos start copying it for their friends, passing it around, the musician loses income, it's not right, not fair and totally illegal!
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