[Bf-committers] 3dmagix. Is it now Blender brend?

[Jonathan Merritt]

On 11/06/2009, at 10:05 PM, Christopher Cherrett wrote:
> -------- Original Message  --------
> Subject: [Bf-committers] 3dmagix. Is it now Blender brend?
> From: Jury Azovtzev <gumanoed at gmail.com>
> To: bf-blender developers <bf-committers at blender.org>
> Date: 06/11/09 05:57
>> Hallo!
>>
>> People from Blender3d.org.ua found the reference to a new software  
>> promotion
>> site. The program called 3dmagix. You can find description and  
>> scrinshots
>> here
>>
>> http://www.3dmagix.com/
>>
>> But, scrinshots too simular to Blender interface.
>> Is it a new commercial brend of Blender?
>>
>> As i understand GPL don't give permision to a change name of a  
>> project.
>>
>>
> I think they can change the name all they like. It is called a fork.
> However I don't think many will follow them :)

Well, even if it's legal, it appears to be morally fraudulent.   
They're selling a product (for US$ 47) which appears to be Blender (at  
least, from their screen shots).  AFAIK, selling GPL software is  
perfectly OK, but their advertising sounds like complete hyperbole.   
They certainly provide no indication that people can get Blender for  
free just by visiting blender.org!

I think it would be worth contacting the FSF to see if there's  
anything that can be done to:
i) confirm that they're distributing Blender, and that they haven't  
fairly added value
ii) then, try to stop them from ripping people off

Jonathan Merritt.