At 10:43 30/08/00, you wrote:
>I'm not sure if this is the case but maybe Mandrake only supply the source
>code
>to packages they modify? For the packages that aren't modified (ie. only
>recompiled to i586 form) then the source code to the RedHat versions would be
>just as good, available at any RedHat mirror. I haven't read it in a while,
>what does the GPL say about distribution without modification?
That occurred to me but Redhat don't distribute wine (which is the package
that's bugging me). Under the GPL the person who distributes the binary is
responsible for distributing the source it doesn't matter whether it's been
modified or not. I think it's acceptable for them to point you at someone
else's website and say "there's the SRPM, it's exactly the same as the one
we used". However It is not acceptable to point someone to the website and
tell them to get the tarball from there. As the GPL says
>For an executable work, complete source code means all the source code for
>all modules it contains, plus any associated interface definition files,
>plus the scripts used to control compilation and installation of the
>executable.
ie the rpm spec file is also a requirement.
Is there some reason they don't want the SRPMs available or is it just an
oversight? Anyway, I think I'll mail someone at MandrakeSoft directly to
try find out,
Fergal
