On Wed, 2007-05-02 at 15:46 -0700, Gregory K. Ruiz-Ade wrote:
> On May 2, 2007, at 1:56 PM, Andrew Lentvorski wrote:
>
> > Proprietary applications are fine with GPL code until you attempt to
> > sell/distribute. That's when the GPL kicks in.
>
> A constant point of confusion in this specific case seems to be
> exactly to whom you must distribute (or make available) sources for
> such an application. Is it only those who you sell/distribute the
> binaries to, or is it any comer who would like the sources?
>
> I have yet to see this point adequately and unambiguously defined.
It's very clear in the license. Under the GPL, you must provide the
Program to *anyone* that wants it, either for free or for the reasonable
cost of creating and providing the copies (i.e. - making the CDs and
mailing them). GPL, Version 2:
"2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of
it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and distribute
such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1 above, provided
that you also meet all of these conditions:
a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices
stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.
b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that
in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or
any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all
third parties under the terms of this License.
c) If the modified program normally reads commands interactively
when run, you must cause it, when started running for such
interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an
announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a
notice that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you
provide a warranty) and that users may redistribute the program
under these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy
of this License. (Exception: if the Program itself is
interactive but does not normally print such an announcement,
your work based on the Program is not required to print an
announcement.)"
Notice 2.b. states it must be "...licensed as a whole at no charge to
all third parties...". All third parties include everyone not part of
the original contract. In other words, if I modify the Linux kernel for
use in a QUAKE modem and then sell the modems to QUAKE customers, I must
provide the modified Linux kernel (at no charge) to anyone else that
wants it, even if I didn't sell them a modem. (there are provisions in
Section 1 of the license to allow for charging people for the medium
that the Program is supplied upon).
PGA
--
Paul G. Allen BSIT/SE
Owner/Sr. Engineer
Random Logic Consulting
www.randomlogic.com
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