Audacity vendido?

Hola :slight_smile:

He encontrado un artículo en la revista OCU Compra Maestra sobre un aparatejo, un reproductor de cintas cassette, que promete “convertir cintas a mp3”. Pero, resulta que para que la conversión funcione en tu ordenador el CD que lo acompaña trae Audacity … Puede que ya lo conozcáis pero por si acaso.

El aparato es Lifeview LV5E Tape Walkman + y lo anuncian como vendible en http://notonlytv.net/p_lv5etape.html. También venden un “Magic Music Cable” que “convierte todo tipo de música a ficheros para tu mp3 o ipod” que es un simple cable usb con un CD que contiene Audacity.

Le he escrito tanto al director de la revista dándole detalles de lo que está anunciando como a Audacity Team para intentar colaborar a que el software libre no sea usado por oportunistas para hacer dinero a costa del trabajo de gente que lo publica bajo la licencia GPL.

Si alguien conoce el tema podría avisar, por favor, para saber si la empresa que vende el aparato provee de una versión modificada de Audacity o tiene algún acuerdo con los desarrolladores y mantenedores del programa. Gracias.

Felipe :slight_smile:

Felipe,

He respondido la misma pregunta ya que ha enviado a nuestra dirección de feedback@. Por favor, lea la respuesta a continuación.

Es normal que Audacity está incluido en los dispositivos de grabación USB. ¿Cree que el fabricante que proporcione el dispositivo de forma gratuita? ¿Cómo más se puede garantizar que no está tomando dinero para Audacity?

Por favor, lea la página web antes de hacer estas preguntas. :wink:


Gale

Hola Gale :slight_smile:

Sí, pregunté aquí también para advertir a otros sobre el supuesto “convertidor”.
No me es posible comprobar si se está cobrando por Audacity a menos que adquiera el producto, cosa que no puedo hacer. Le escribí al director de la revista pero no he recibido respuesta aún.
Ésa es precisamente mi queja, que la forma en que se presenta y vende el producto es como si fuese un “convertidor”, lo cual no es.
Sí, leeré las páginas que me indica de igual forma que leí la página de las especificaciones técnicas del fabricante/vendedor pero no creo que sea de ayuda puesto que no puedo analizar el programa que se incluye con el reproductor.
Gracias por sus respuestas, Gale.

Yes I asked here too so others may be informed as well.
I have no way of finding out whether the seller is taking money for bundling Audacity with the player unless I make the purchase, something I cannot afford to do. I wrote to the director of the consumers’ magazine about their article on the “converter” but have had no reply so far.

That is precisely my concern: that the way the product is presented is as if the player is a converter of files, which is not. Yes, I will read the pages you mention as I read the makers/sellers feautures page before asking/warning but I do not think it will help since I cannot analyse the software bundled.
Thank you Gale for your answers.

Felipe :slight_smile:

How will you find out even if you do purchase it? If the package is EUR 50, is Audacity 1 EUR and the player 49 EUR (or vice-versa)?

Probably they realise there is no complaint to answer.

The entire package is a converter exactly as stated “convert your old tape as MP3”. Audacity could not do the conversion from the tapes without the hardware player to do it.



Gale

Thank you, Gale, for your answers.

Purchasing it was to find out if the software bundled is altered from the original distribution the way you kindly explained: "evidence that the version of Audacity included with the player lacks the GPL licence, or does not make an offer to supply the source code, this would be a potential violation of GPL. If you have evidence that the program has been modified but is still called “Audacity”, this would be a potential violation of our trademark. In that case, please provide us with that evidence. " Unless I got it wrong.

That maybe. However, I have been a decades suscriptor of the magazine and member of the consumers’ association that publishes it. The article appears on past month’s issue claiming the “package” is a “converter”. It is the magazine that mentions that the software is Audacity and the maker of the said “package” does not mention the fact. So, as far as I understand it it is the magazine’s responsability to explain what is what. Especially since we are talking about a consumers’ magazine that includes no publicity at all and is paid for by associate members. This association carries exhaustive tests when comparing and ranking products sold in shops, all paid by members. One does not need the “package” to convert anything, one only needs Audacity, any cassete player and a computer, and nothing else. So The article is, in my understanding, clearly misleading.
If this does not constitute a valid complaint then I will stop my membership from such an association.

Mm. It seems like I have no case even mentioning it :(( Well I think I have but I may not know who to blame. Apparently no-one is to blame. But me };?
I find your statement a bit sided. “Audacity could not do the conversion from the tapes without the hardware player” neither without the computer to do it. The argument lacks the rest of the “package”: the hardware, the complete harware. The said “package” would not exist without the software. So my view is that something is sold without mentioning that it is Free Software what makes it tick. And that is opportunistic, not ilegal but grossly opportunistic.
Other “product”, “package”, the seller offers is a “Magic Music Cable”, yes you read right: a plain usb cable and a CD … How much does a usb cable cost? (http://notonlytv.net/pdf/dm_lv5ecable.pdf) :O?!
Oh, by the way, no mention is made anywhere of LAME … Without it no mp3 at all.

Thank you for clarifying Audacity’s position. I rest assured. I will pursue that the magazine clarify their article to their readers. And that the Audacity project is given its due credit.

Felipe :slight_smile:

No. If the computer lacks a line-in port or a mic port that can function as line-level stereo, a USB cassette deck or other USB interface for the standard cassette player is required. Plus any audio recording software can be used. It does not have to be Audacity.

We are all volunteers. It is nice if users are concerned that Audacity receives credit when it is bundled with hardware, and concerned if it might be being “sold”, but it takes considerable time answering these questions which are already answered on the web site.

The computer is not offered in the package.

I disagree. Audacity was given a GPL licence so that it could be distributed freely or for profit, or bundled with hardware, if the GPL terms were met. Many hundreds of pieces of equipment use Audacity. Most manufacturers of such equipment never contact us, but adhere to the basic terms of the GPL. We would “like” to be given credit for our work and would “like” to be contacted by a company distributing many thousands of units to make sure the Audacity documentation and presentation is correct. However, the GPL is not specific about the need to give software owners credit in the product advertisements or to say the software is free.


Gale