Selling the GIMP

Introduction

From time to time, we get questions from users who are surprised to see some individuals or companies selling the GIMP from their web site or as part of an auction. Sometimes the software is advertised as being the GIMP but in some cases there is no mention of the fact that what is sold is the GIMP, and the GIMP is Free Software. This page tries to answer some of these questions and provides suggestions for those who would like to sell the GIMP.

Is it legal to sell copies of the GIMP?

Yes. The terms and conditions for copying, distribution and modification of the GIMP are clearly listed in the GNU General Public License. Redistribution for free or for profit is specifically allowed, as long as the license is included and the source code is made available. See also Selling Free Software on the FSF site.

Besides the rights and conditions given by the GPL, it would also be nice (but not required) to mention in any advertising that the product being sold is the GIMP (or a bundle including the GIMP).

Are the developers associated with companies selling the GIMP?

No. The GIMP developers are not associated with the companies selling copies of the GIMP. We may be in contact with some of them from time to time when they contribute some improvements to the GIMP. Some of them have also made donations to the GIMP developers (sponsoring for the GIMP developers' conference). But none of the developers has direct financial interest in these companies.

I bought the GIMP without knowing that it was Free Software

Unfortunately, some companies selling the GIMP do not always mention in their advertising that the software that they are selling can also be obtained for free. Sometimes the GIMP is combined with additional software or artwork that adds value to the package, but sometimes what you get is not much more than what could otherwise be downloaded for free. If you have purchased such a copy of the GIMP and you feel cheated, then you should complain to the vendor.

Where can I buy a copy of the GIMP?

We do not sell the GIMP from this web site. However, the platfom-specific pages contain links to packages provided by several individuals or companies, and some of them are selling the GIMP. Please have a look at the page related to the platform you are using (UNIX, Windows or MacOS) and see if you can find anything interesting there.

Recommendations for those who sell copies of the GIMP

If you or your company intend to sell the GIMP, it would be nice to follow these guidelines:

Be honest. Do not try to hide the fact that the product that you are selling is or contains the GIMP. Mention it in any advertisement.
Add value. Try to provide more than what can be found in the default GIMP package. Include a nice installer, additional plug-ins, some nice artwork, some custom brushes and textures, your own tutorials and documentation, printed copies of the documentation, etc. There are many ways to add value to the GIMP and to make your customers happy.
Respect the GPL. The GPL requires you to make the source code available. The best solution is to include the source code on the same medium as the GIMP installation package, but you can also include a written offer to supply the source code on request. Note that you cannot simply give a link to the GIMP ftp mirrors: it should be the exact source code that was used to compile the binary package that you are selling and you have to cover the costs of redistribution yourself. If you sell and distribute the binaries online, the GPL requires you to make the source code available "from the same place" so giving a link to the GIMP mirrors is not sufficient (see also this section of the GPL FAQ).
Support your users. If the version of the GIMP that you are selling is modified in any way, you should inform your users and try to handle the support requests related to that version. Providing good support is another way to make your customers happy.

Finally, think about giving something back. If the software created by many volunteers helps your business, it would be nice to return the favor by helping the developers. You can contribute by sending some improvements to the code or by sponsoring some events such as the GIMP developer's conference. This is not required, but happy developers are more likely to create a better product that you can sell later...