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I have been working with Synergy for quite a while now, but I have always been using older versions, as the current version is paid. I don't think anybody ever asked this question, as I searched for it all around the Internet and even used Google to find the answer.

So, is Synergy free if you compile it yourself (or download the compiled version by somebody else, as suggested by whatsisname) and will it have all the features?

TooMuchRAM
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  • Isn't it free to use in all cases? – David Schwartz Jun 12 '17 at 07:49
  • No. If you go to symless.com/synergy, you will find that you have to pay for it. – TooMuchRAM Jun 12 '17 at 08:55
  • You have to pay to *use* it? Or you have to pay to obtain a copy of it? These are two very different things. (For example, you do not have to pay to read a book. You may have to pay to own or borrow a copy of a book.) – David Schwartz Jun 12 '17 at 14:43
  • I think you have to pay to use it. But I think you also made a very good point. – TooMuchRAM Jun 12 '17 at 14:48
  • Then the paid version and the free version must be different software since the GPL gives you the legal right to use the free version at no charge. If they were the same software, you could use the "paid" version at no charge too. (Though someone could charge you to provide a copy of it.) – David Schwartz Jun 12 '17 at 15:03
  • The version on GitHub and the version on symless.com differ: on GitHub, it's version 1.8.8, on symless, it's version 2.x. Also, if you compile the GitHub version, you'll get a pop up asking for a license key. If you don't have one, you can't use some features like SSL encryption. – TooMuchRAM Jun 12 '17 at 15:39
  • Sure, but you can just modify the GitHub version to remove the pop up. – David Schwartz Jun 13 '17 at 23:28
  • Yes, but you still won't get version 2.0 – TooMuchRAM Jun 14 '17 at 05:03

2 Answers2

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Is Synergy free if you compile it yourself?

Yes, it is free as it is under the GNU General Public License.

Released under the terms of the GNU General Public License, Synergy is free software.

Note:

  • You don't strictly have to compile it yourself, someone else can build it for you, and the developers cannot restrict people sharing built binaries as long as it is GPL licensed.

The paid versions you refer to in the question are for pre-compiled binaries as Synergy charges for distributing these on their website:

On 8 September 2014, the Synergy developers started charging a fee for distribution of pre-compiled binary files of Synergy on their website, while offering a free download for the source code. The developers claim only "0.002% of people were donating" to fund the development before charging.

Source Synergy (software)

Will it have all the features?

Yes, assuming you compile a build with all the features enabled.

Most open-source software comes with build files that enable you to enable/disable specific features where this is applicable.

DavidPostill
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    Thanks for the answer. I just compiled Synergy myself and... it was version 1.8.8. Anyway, I marked this question as 'answered'. – TooMuchRAM Jun 11 '17 at 13:05
  • @Thijs365 [v1.8.8-stable](https://github.com/symless/synergy/releases) is the latest release. – DavidPostill Jun 11 '17 at 16:40
  • I thought version 2.0 was the latest. – TooMuchRAM Jun 11 '17 at 18:42
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    The first quote is completely irrelevant. [Free software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software) does not imply anything about price! It's about the *freedom* of studying/modifying it. A software distributed for free is a *freeware*. Also: given that it is *free software* you are *free* to compile it with whichever set of features (or modifications) you want. – Bakuriu Jun 11 '17 at 19:13
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    @Bakuriu *shrug*. The OP was referring to not using a paid version in the question. – DavidPostill Jun 11 '17 at 19:23
  • @DavidPostill Part of his complaint is the statement that you have to "build with all features enabled". There's nothing in the GPL that makes that a requirement -- indeed, just the opposite. You are free to _physically remove_ those features if you want and compile and run your own version. – KutuluMike Jun 11 '17 at 19:44
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    @Thijs365 Not according to github where the source code is located. – DavidPostill Jun 11 '17 at 19:58
  • @whatsisname Good point. Answer clarified. – DavidPostill Jun 12 '17 at 07:36
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It's available here for free. Already compiled! https://sourceforge.net/projects/synergy-stable-builds/

Sebastian Nunes
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  • Welcome to Super User. Please read [How to Recommend Software](https://meta.superuser.com/a/5330/213131) then [edit] your answer to include at least the minimum required information (the items in **bold**). Posts without this information may be subject to deletion. Thanks for contributing. – I say Reinstate Monica Jan 28 '19 at 23:19
  • Welcome to Super User! The site's Q&A format reserves answers for solutions to the question. This post is really a comment rather than an answer. You can always comment on your own posts, and once you have sufficient [reputation](http://superuser.com/help/whats-reputation) you will be able to [comment on any post](http://superuser.com/help/privileges/comment). Non-answers tend to attract downvotes and are subject to deletion. – fixer1234 Jan 29 '19 at 00:04
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    thanks +1 for this answer. Exactly what i was looking for – ladieu Mar 02 '19 at 19:58
  • Apparently it has not been updated for quite a while since 2017. The version there is v1.8.8-stable while the github latest is v1.14.2 in 2021. – ー PupSoZeyDe ー Nov 23 '21 at 03:57