Why do some freeware developers say "Don't use this plugin for commercial music" ?

1584 posts · by **@midnight**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:28 pm

I never understood why some freeware developers say "Don't use these plugins for commercial music" on their license agreements.

So they only want people who like to play with plugins at home to use their software? Or people who just make demos and stuff?

Why wouldn't they want professional musicians to use their product?

3024 posts · by **kmonkey**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:33 pm

Which one say that?

Really stupid if true..

536 posts · by **quayquay17**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:32 pm

It is sometimes the case with donationware..

1572 posts · by **Jafo**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:39 pm

Many reasons, some good and some bad, but the one I like best is wanting to encourage a culture of sharing one's labors selflessly.

1584 posts · by **@midnight**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:37 pm

Yeah but I mean if everybody did that there would be no economy/industry and everybody would be living in caves and there would be no computers etc...

Isn't it a compliment if a professional musician chooses to use your software?

160 posts · by **monas**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:37 pm

i can totally understand that some free developers don't want their work to be used in advertising or in any corporate context. i doubt anyone will have a problem with an artist using it on an album though. if in doubt just drop the developer a line and ask.

2172 posts · by **Andywanders**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:53 pm

@midnight wrote:I never understood why some freeware developers say "Don't use these plugins for commercial music" on their license agreements.

For example..?

1572 posts · by **Jafo**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:25 pm

@midnight wrote:Isn't it a compliment if a professional musician chooses to use your software?

Well, not for/to everybody. Some people value artistry higher than money and believe that the music industry is harmful to music. Some people want to do something unselfish and clean. Some people just plain loathe commerce altogether. Some devs write plugs to impose their metaphysics on their users. As I wrote, there are lots of good and bad reasons.

Still, it's no big deal. If you don't like a license (and why should you have to?) just choose a different plug and go make some music. It's not like we aren't awash in a sea of suitable alternatives.

1572 posts · by **Jafo**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:27 pm

Andywanders wrote:
@midnight wrote:I never understood why some freeware developers say "Don't use these plugins for commercial music" on their license agreements.

For example..?

tbt's tls 3127 and 2095 come to mind.

150 posts · by **Full Bucket**; Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:49 pm

@midnight wrote:Yeah but I mean if everybody did that there would be no economy/industry and everybody would be living in caves and there would be no computers etc...

Hmmm, but if everybody would use freeware plug-ins there would be no economy/industry and everybody would be living in caves and there would be no computers etc...

Hey, I'm offering freeware myself, I shouldn't have said this... :lol:

Cheesr, Björn

485 posts · by **sin night**; Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:08 am

On the latest "CM plugins" there's a doc called "Terms of Use.rtf" which states:

The supplied software is provided free of charge with Computer Music magazine. Any software supplied, including access codes and free trial codes, is for your personal use only and must not be sold, used for commercial purposes, supplied to any third party or uploaded to any websites.

I just read that yesterday evening and I wonder about that "used for commercial purposes"...

I don't have any income from music, so my music is (technically) non commercial; anyway I avoid everything that puts limitations on what I can do with my work.
I would be fine with paying a definite amount for commercial usage, but when a license doesn't state that and just forbids commercial usage (or puts other limitations I don't agree with), then I don't bother with that thing.

353 posts · by **ksandvik**; Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:16 am

That's a weird legal statement from CM. Their lawyers did a lousy job, I don't think they intended that the SW can't be used to produce commercial tracks. And if so, it's one of the most bizarre legal contracts I've seen, then. I suspect they didn't want the SW to be used in commercial situations such as being resold on DVDs or over the net, myself...

485 posts · by **sin night**; Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:26 am

I think so, too; anyway I think I'll write to cm to ask for clarification.

20465 posts · by **whyterabbyt**; Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:29 am

@midnight wrote:Why wouldn't they want professional musicians to use their product?

Why would they want someone to profit from something they gave them for free?

Yeah but I mean if everybody did that there would be no economy/industry and everybody would be living in caves and there would be no computers etc...

So there'd have been no professional musicians in the first place. Problem solved, then.

3575 posts · by **Funkybot's Evil Twin**; Tue Jan 22, 2013 4:59 am

sin night wrote:On the latest "CM plugins" there's a doc called "Terms of Use.rtf" which states:

The supplied software is provided free of charge with Computer Music magazine. Any software supplied, including access codes and free trial codes, is for your personal use only and must not be sold, used for commercial purposes, supplied to any third party or uploaded to any websites.

That's basically saying the "software supplied...must not be sold, used for commercial purposes, supplied to any third party or uploaded to any websites." So yes, you can use the plugins for commercial music. No, you can't upload or sell the plugins.

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