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Free Download Manager Source Code Unavailable, Possible License Issues

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John T. Haller
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Free Download Manager Source Code Unavailable, Possible License Issues

It seems that Free Download Manager, though licensed under the GPL, has not released their source code for the current versions. Gord contacted the developers and they replied that it's unavailable at present. I've posted more publicly in their forum here attempting to get it:
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=17352

If it remains unavailable, we'll likely pull Free Download Manager from the app directory for violating the GPL. This conversation was spawned from a series of comments on the Outdated Apps thread. Those comments have been moved here.

UpdateInformer
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It takes ages to post the new FreeDownloadManger download !!!

Can somebody upload the new Free Download Manager finitely, it's written since ages "posting shortly". Thanks!

This comment was originally posted in the Outdated Apps topic earlier than the time indicated here. It was moved here to preserve the conversation.

John T. Haller
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May Drop

We may drop FreeDownloadManager. It's open source under an open source license but the publisher has been refusing to release the source.

This comment was originally posted in the Outdated Apps topic earlier than the time indicated here. It was moved here to preserve the conversation.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

UpdateInformer
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@John T. Haller

Put the newest build version online so we can update and patch the security holes and think further on if drop or not. It's either nice nor responsible to act like this! I thought you are a responsible IT guy but I have doubts.
I hope you keep providing us with new versions of Free Download Manager or the developer of Free Download Manager releases the portable version again.

This comment was originally posted in the Outdated Apps topic earlier than the time indicated here. It was moved here to preserve the conversation.

John T. Haller
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Legal Issues

I don't think you understand. If FDM is building this app that was open source under a very specific license and refusing to release the source, they're illegally packaging software and the resulting app not only has legal implications for them, but for anyone distributing it. Unless FDM was only worked on by the current publishers and has no outside code at all from anyone through its history or they have written permission to re-license all submitted code as closed source/proprietary software, it's illegal to distribute it without the source. It's also illegal for anyone else to redistribute it. We asked the publisher for the current source and they refused to provide it, despite saying that the app is open source on their homepage. We're looking into next steps.

Honestly, I'd avoid using the app until we get a better answer from them. There's not much reason for download managers these days as most servers can saturate an average internet connection. And the bonus features like YouTube downloading, there are websites that do a far better job of this, linking you directly to a download of the YouTube stream you're interested in.

This comment was originally posted in the Outdated Apps topic earlier than the time indicated here. It was moved here to preserve the conversation.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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