Windows installer asks user to accept the GPL

[Ben Finney]

Martin Pool <mbp at canonical.com> writes:

> But I agree, it should merely make you aware of the licence, and not
> accept it.  Perhaps the options should be "I understand" and "Cancel
> installation".

I don't think there's any need to ask the user to press any
button. They've asked for the package to be installed, just install it
without asking unnecessary questions.

If it's possible to tell the user that they're receiving it under the
GPL, without holding up the install while they acknowledge they've
been told, that would be best.

Failing that, there's nothing in the GPL that *requires* the user be
specifically informed of the license at the time installation (though
the resulting installation should *include* an obvious copy of the
license for the user to read if they choose).

The only time any program must actively inform the user of the license
is (section 2c):

    c) If the modified program normally reads commands interactively
    when run, you must cause it, when started running for such
    interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an
    announcement including an appropriate copyright notice [...]

So my recommendation would be to scrap the installation's license
confirmation dialogue entirely. If there's some point where the *user*
is waiting for the *installer*, that seems the best place to put a "by
the way, this is licensed to you under the GNU GPL" message that
doesn't ask for confirmation.

-- 
 \       "The most common of all follies is to believe passionately in |
  `\   the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind."  |
_o__)                                              -- Henry L. Mencken |
Ben Finney