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layout: post
title: 'Call for Comments: Apache OpenOffice Distributor Best Practices'
date: '2013-12-05T00:00:00+00:00'
categories: OOo
---
<p>Apache OpenOffice (formerly OpenOffice.org) is the leading free and open office productivity suite.&nbsp; We have many millions of users.&nbsp; In the past two years we've seen over 80 million downloads from our website, and millions more from 3rd party websites.&nbsp; </p>
<p>Although most users are able to download OpenOffice successfully, we do get occasional requests for a CD.&nbsp;&nbsp; This is something that we (the Apache Software Foundation) do not currently do.&nbsp; We make the OpenOffice source code, and installable versions of OpenOffice, available for free download.&nbsp; But we're not involved in distributing CDs.&nbsp; However, the Apache License 2.0, like most open source licenses, allows 3rd parties to copy and distribute copies of the software and even to charge for the copies.</p>
<p>So the open question is this:&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Would it be beneficial for the Apache OpenOffice project to maintain, as a public service, a list of 3rd party CD distributors, on our website?</b> </p>
<p>Also, it is probably reasonable to ask CD distributors, in return for giving
them a listing on our website, to adhere to defined best practices.&nbsp;
An example <a href="http://www.openoffice.org/distribution/best-practices.html">draft Distributor Best Practices</a> page is on our website.&nbsp; <b>Is there anything that should be added or removed from that list?</b></p>
<p>We invite public comments on this topic, as comments to this blog post, or in an email to our public <a href="mailto:marketing@openoffice.apache.org">marketing mailing list</a>.&nbsp; Comments are welcome from anyone, especially users, potential distributors and the wider Apache community.&nbsp; <b>Please submit comments by January 15th for our consideration.</b><br /></p>
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