Adam Heath wrote: > > On Tue, 1 Aug 2000, Rene Mayrhofer wrote: > > > Adam Heath wrote: > > > > > > Please see the comments on freshmeat.net about this. You are illegally > > > distribution Debian. The GPL does not allow to you be more restrictive. > > I just posted an reply to this. I really was unaware that it conflicts with > > the > > GPL to pose restrictions on the ISO images (only the layout, not the files > > on > > it). The copyright now is gone from the FTP server, but I need some sort of > > protection for the ISO images themselves (not for the contents, I am > > preparing > > to upload the Debian source packages) or I will be unable to publish free > > images. > > Your original licensed implied that the source would be gpl(which is good), > but the compiled, built iso would not(which is illegal, but I know why > you said it). You said that no commericial redistribution would be possible. > The way it was worded makes it apply to the binary versions that someone would > compile of the gpl'd sources you put online. This is where you problem lies. > > Am I correct? Yes, you are. It seems that I was unable to express what I meant. The sources that I wrote and that I will write are fully covered by the terms of the GPL (I am preparing Debian source packages with everything I wrote specifically for Gibraltar. When they are finished, I will even try to get them into potato). Of course most of the programs that I also put on the ISO images are covered by the GPL too. The content of the image is an installed, specially prepared Debian GNU/Linux system that has no restrictions on distribution.
What I would like to have is some sort of protection for the ISO image itself. If somebody takes all the files from the CD-ROM, organizes them in any way and creates his/her own ISO image, then it's absolutely ok. Because when somebody does this, it might get me some contributions or ideas on how to improve Gibraltar. And I definitely do not want to restrict the usage of the images in any way. Non-commercial and commercial institutions should be able to use the images for whatever they want (if they use it for themselves). The only point that I would like to have restricted is that some company takes my ISO images, puts them on CD-ROMs and sells the CD-ROMs without contributing anything. I do not want any company to make money with my work without Gibraltar profiting in some way. If somebody sells support for Gibraltar and gives the Gibraltar CD-ROMs away for free, it's ok, because then he/she will probably find errors, report bugs or make suggestions for improvements. If somebody only sells the CD-ROMs, it's not ok. In reality, I want a situation in some way similiar to what OpenBSD does: they give away everything they write, but sell the CD-ROMs. I want to distribute a free version of Gibraltar (ViaNova will sell a version with a printed manual, an extensively enhanced web interface and support) but want to prevent companies from selling this work that I am giving away for free (hey, it's more than a year of my free time) without me getting anything. Another example is Debian itself: There are some restrictions on what can be done with "official" and "non-official" ISO images (I think only the logo matters, but the principle is the same). I want something in that direction. Could somebody please help me with this situation ? I am not a legal expert an English is not my mother's tounge. This is the first license that I need to write myself, therefore I do not have much experience. What can I do to stay compatible with the mostly GPL-ed content of ISO images ? Do I have the possibility to say "use it in any way, do with the content what you want but do not sell CD-ROMs produced with the official Gibraltar ISO-images" ? > If we both understand the problem here, then, when you reply, I'd like to > discuss this on [email protected](send email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] to join). They know best how to word > things like this. I wanted to do this anyway but I waited for your reply so that I could be sure that it was a misunderstanding because of my bad wording. Thanks, Rene
