any free epub to pdf conversion tool for Windows?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

calibre's license is GPL v3, what additional licensing would be required for the above uses?

I seem to vaguely--and I mean, very, very vaguely--recall that there was something else that needed to be done to incorporate Calibre into a paid product, but I'll bow out of this right now as I'm sure that everybody else here recalls far better than I, as I only occasionally use C.

And equally, yup, I could be dead wrong.

Hitch

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I seem to vaguely--and I mean, very, very vaguely--recall that there was something else that needed to be done to incorporate Calibre into a paid product, but I'll bow out of this right now as I'm sure that everybody else here recalls far better than I, as I only occasionally use C.

I guess trickiness comes from what incorporating GPL software into a paid product means.

In the old days interpreted languages were rare and source code was compiled into binary executables and sellers had to distribute those binaries to users. The GPL was created to
require that users have access to the source code. No restriction was placed on commercial use as long as the source code was available. GPL authors that want compensation for commerical use distribute their software with a dual licence. It might be that calibre requires a separate license but I didn't find anything like that on the home page. wikipedia says GPL v3-only.

If commercial SW vendors use GPL code inside their proprietary code and do not make the source available for both, they are in vilolation of the GPL. But if the secret code is kept separate from the GPL code, the proprietary code does not need to be revealed and normal copyright protection applies to the proprietary executables.

Over time, software libraries complicated things and GPL places restrictions on proprietary code that links to libraries of GPL code. There are multiple license variations that allow authors to make various distinctions. I lack interest in these distinctions and do not try to keep tham straight because they have no application to anything that I do.

GPL does not limit the use of GPL software to perform a paid service.

The modern pickle is whether running GPL software on a web site constitutes distributing that software. I'm fuzzy on that, but it seems to me that it does not.

Maybe calibre licensing or GPL v3 forbid using calibre on the back end, but I don't think so.

[Quoth]

Use Calibre to export epub as docx. It's free and not big.
Check/clean docx with LO Writer. Export PDF from LO Writer.
Both free and private and all three main platforms.

Or Install Calibre and delete all except viewer. Print to PDF from viewer.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I guess trickiness comes from what incorporating GPL software into a paid product means.

In the old days interpreted languages were rare and source code was compiled into binary executables and sellers had to distribute those binaries to users. The GPL was created to
require that users have access to the source code. No restriction was placed on commercial use as long as the source code was available. GPL authors that want compensation for commerical use distribute their software with a dual licence. It might be that calibre requires a separate license but I didn't find anything like that on the home page. wikipedia says GPL v3-only.

If commercial SW vendors use GPL code inside their proprietary code and do not make the source available for both, they are in vilolation of the GPL. But if the secret code is kept separate from the GPL code, the proprietary code does not need to be revealed and normal copyright protection applies to the proprietary executables.

Over time, software libraries complicated things and GPL places restrictions on proprietary code that links to libraries of GPL code. There are multiple license variations that allow authors to make various distinctions. I lack interest in these distinctions and do not try to keep tham straight because they have no application to anything that I do.

GPL does not limit the use of GPL software to perform a paid service.

The modern pickle is whether running GPL software on a web site constitutes distributing that software. I'm fuzzy on that, but it seems to me that it does not.

Maybe calibre licensing or GPL v3 forbid using calibre on the back end, but I don't think so.

Dunno, but I do recall some kerfuffle over that one company, the one that we all don't mention, that uses C as its entire backend and charges for it. But that's all that's rummaging around inside my brain.

Hitch

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Dunno, but I do recall some kerfuffle over that one company, the one that we all don't mention, that uses C as its entire backend and charges for it. But that's all that's rummaging around inside my brain.

Hitch

Did I unintentionally state a name that must not be spoken?!?!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Did I unintentionally state a name that must not be spoken?!?!

Hell, if I could remember that damned name, I'd speak it. I simply can't. It's not up there with Whats-is-name and ol' Harry Potter.

Hitch

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Oh, I know and my comment wasn't really directed to you. Just sort of an instant knee-jerk reaction--I get this a lot, 'round the web--people who do know how to roll their own with, say, a Word file, (or Calibre, whatever) telling newbies (and the odd bits and orts here and there) "never" to pay for formatting or conversion because formatters/covnerters/designers/yadda are all thieves or worse. It's just...it's habit with me to respond.

Sure. I wouldn't tell someone who wanted to produce an ebook for sale use to go grab a paid app, either, I'd tell them to hire a professional. Ebook production is a non-trivial task.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by meeera

Sure. I wouldn't tell someone who wanted to produce an ebook for sale use to go grab a paid app, either, I'd tell them to hire a professional. Ebook production is a non-trivial task.

Troo dat although I've seen some pretty amazing DIY projects. Can't take that away from them.

Hitch

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by meeera

Sure. I wouldn't tell someone who wanted to produce an ebook for sale use to go grab a paid app, either, I'd tell them to hire a professional. Ebook production is a non-trivial task.

Indesign is a rental app and can produce appalling results for ebooks compared to PDF for paper print.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by meeera

Sure. I wouldn't tell someone who wanted to produce an ebook for sale use to go grab a paid app, either, I'd tell them to hire a professional. Ebook production is a non-trivial task.

That depends on what you want to do. For a standard novel, I'd have no trouble creating a well formatted ePub to use as a source and to sell.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That depends on what you want to do. For a standard novel, I'd have no trouble creating a well formatted ePub to use as a source and to sell.

And since you're not asking newbie questions about conversion apps and saying Calibre's too hard for you, you're not the target audience I was talking about.