http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
Read the GPL
If you modify a program that is licensed under the GPL and then
re-distribute or sell that program to a customer or entity you must
release the changes made to the source code to the community under the
GPL.
There is nothing in the GPL that says you can't sell the your version of
the program, but you must release your changes to the community. You
benefitted from the source code to build your program so the community
deserves to benefit from your additions and changes also.
And I quote.... ``Free software'' is a matter of liberty, not price. To
understand the concept, you should think of ``free'' as in ``free
speech,'' not as in ``free beer.''
"Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute,
study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it refers to four
kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:
* The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
* The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your
needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for
this.
* The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
(freedom 2).
* The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to
the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access
to the source code is a precondition for this."
Modules are a different story. Proprietary modules don't neccesarily use
or change GPL code or programs, they merely interface with the GPL program
indirectly. This happens in the Linux kernel, if a proprietary or closed
source module is used ... say for a video card driver, the kernel is said
to be 'tainted' by the proprietary driver.
Aylesworth Marc A Contr AFRL/IFSE said:
> I'm not a lawyer but the way I read it is if you modify a program with
> the
> GPL then the program has to also be licensed under the GPL. The only way
> to
> get around this seems if you have modular code the only thing that has to
> be
> GPLed is the module that has the original program in it.
>
> Thanks
>
> Marc Aylesworth
>
> C3I Associates
>
> AFRL/IFSE
>
> Joint Battlespace Infosphere Team
>
> 525 Brooks Rd
>
> Rome, NY 13441-4505
>
> Tel:315.330.2422
>
> Fax:315.330.7009
>
> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin
> Toppenberg
> Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 1:21 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [Hardhats-members] Open Source Programmer Alleges Linux
> Misuse
>
> Does GPL require that they provide they enhancements
> they made, or just the source code of what they
> started with? If the latter is the case, I don't see
> what the big deal is. It's not like others can't get
> their own copy of the source code from SourceForge.
>
> Kevin
>
> --- Nancy Anthracite <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>>
> http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5621156.html?tag=nl.e589
>>
>> ... Interesting RE enforcement of the GPL in court.
>> --
>> Nancy Anthracite
>>
>>
>>
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