Freeware's free. But I guess it's not like open source? You can edit open source program's code but for freeware, I assume you can distribute it as many times as you like if you don't change original program in any way, shape or code or form?
But if freeware could be made into portable apps? That'd be cool as there are many freeware rivals to programs requiring payment of some sort.....
Visit the Community page
Join our forums
Subscribe to our email newsletter
Subscribe with RSS
Follow us on BlueSky
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Twitter
portablefreeware.com
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
PortableFreeware has instructions for how to make some things portable, or tells you what the limitations are, but it doesn't distribute any software, let alone package them so mere mortals can install them easily or integrate them with the PA platform.
MC
because the license of a closed source software don't let you do that...
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
Not necessarily. Each license can be different. Freeware licenses are especially known for being different. Some prohibit distribution, prefering that all traffic go to their site. Some want you to re-distribute. Some want it distributed in the exact form they produce, others don't care.
Just because it is copyright and closed source does not mean that you can assume what the license says. You can assume you don't have license to do things until you read the license and find out differently; that's true. But many of the licenses are very free in what they allow.
That's one advantage of something like GPL; it is well known and standard. Once you have figured it out for one app, you don't have to figure it out again.
MC
Just because it is copyright and closed source does not mean that you can assume what the license says.
So, just because I have not read the license I can't assume that a closed source App can't be modified?
The guy requested to portabilize freeware-closed source Apps... I said that we can't do that... because it's closed source... and that is common in every closed source license...
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
It's really not in all closed source licenses, some say that as long as the original binaries remain unchanged, repackaging is allowed, redistribution is allowed. Portablizing by adding a launcher does not modify the original binaries at all.
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
It is possible to make some closed source apps portable without modifying the app. It is also permissible to redistribute some closed source apps as long as they are not modified. I believe what the OP was asking is why apps that satisfy both these characteristics can't be made portable and hosted here. The answer appears to be because PortableApp.com apps are currently hosted on SourceForge.net, which requires all hosted apps be open source.
formerly rayven01
I did say "You can assume you don't have license to do things until you read the license". So, yes, if you don't want to read the license, you can definitely assume that it can't be modified. Copyright licensing can be very restrictive, and it would be safer to assume you can't copy, modify, or redistribute rather than the contrary. But that still doesn't mean all freeware is restrictive.
MC
I use many apps from portablefreeware.com.
I think it's a great site, and it treats freeware appropriately. It's meant to link to, and rate freeware, and it does it well.
It's always quite clear on how to make the apps "portable", if they need any tweaking at all.
Many of the apps can just be unzipped as is.
For the ones that require more than that, it's usually explained quite well.
I'm not sure why you would care whether they distribute software - isn't it just as easy to follow the link and download it from the author site?
As for integrating them into the PA platform - the installers that JTH adds are nice, but really all they do is unzip the app into the x:\PortableApps\ folder. In the early stages of PortableApps.com, apps were distributed without installers, just zipped.
P.S. ...and portablefreeware.com also lists open source apps - including PA apps!
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
Partially agree with you, since PortableApps.com platform is not just "unziping", it creates a launcher that redirects registry/config settings and add remove new/old files when updating...
[Changed PApps.coom to PortableApps.com as to avoid confusion : ) - thanks, moderator PP]
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
I think my comment about "mere mortals" still applies. My standards for usability (my spouse, my mother) wouldn't have the first clue how to follow Andrew's instructions. Whereas John's simple installer and launcher take care of most of that.
MC
I get your point, now. I am the unofficial tech support for my mom and a few of my friends.
Portablefreeware.com is not intended for them, though; with it's 1,212 applications from hundreds of developers, they would be quickly overwhelmed.
Most of these users aren't looking for unusual programs, and are quite happy with the selection on this site.
For instance, my buddy could barely navigate around AOL (ack!) and Outlook and the newer IE drove him nuts; plus, he couldn't afford MS Office.
When I got him on FF and Thunderbird and OOo, he was tickled pink. Like most people, he really only uses the computer for internet, e-mail, writing docs, and simple spreadsheets.
If he (or my mom) needs some function that needs a specialized piece of SW, they usually ask me or my brother. So, if a portablefreeware.com app is their answer, and it requires more than just unzipping, I'll do the initial "portablization" of the app, and then give them a 7-zip exe of it.
I think that's the way it's going to be, for now. PortableApps will be the gold standard for open source, stable, easily installed mainstream apps, and portablefreeware will be the gallery of freeware of varying degrees of complexity.
Since non-OSS freeware is the intellectual property of the developers, maybe what we should be doing is contacting them on their sites, asking them to develop portable versions, instead of trying to do it here.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
At present PortableApps cannot distribute freeware that is not open source. That doesn't mean that freeware is bad, or it is illegal to do so, just that SourceForge limits its users to open source. If you know of a way to get good free hosting for freeware made portable, please contact John; there would be lots of programs that could be added, using up lots of bandwidth.
MC
Let me note the fact that every app here and almost every open source app is freeware. So you should distinguish between open and closed source applications.
"Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do." Asimov