On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 2:49 PM, Samir Faci (Dev) <[email protected]> wrote: > You could always require the user to send you a box and pre-paid S&H > and you'll be glad to print out the source on recycled paper and ship > it back to him. I think that still satisfies even the GPL.
I'd check with a lawyer before pulling a stunt like that. Here's an excerpt from the GPL (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html): \\\\ 6. Conveying Non-Source Forms. You may convey a covered work in object code form under the terms of sections 4 and 5, provided that you also convey the machine-readable Corresponding Source under the terms of this License, in one of these ways: * a) Convey the object code in, or embodied in, a physical product (including a physical distribution medium), accompanied by the Corresponding Source fixed on a durable physical medium customarily used for software interchange. * b) Convey the object code in, or embodied in, a physical product (including a physical distribution medium), accompanied by a written offer, valid for at least three years and valid for as long as you offer spare parts or customer support for that product model, to give anyone who possesses the object code either (1) a copy of the Corresponding Source for all the software in the product that is covered by this License, on a durable physical medium customarily used for software interchange, for a price no more than your reasonable cost of physically performing this conveying of source, or (2) access to copy the Corresponding Source from a network server at no charge. //// Code printed on paper is not "a physical medium customarily used for software interchange," at least not in the last decade or so... :-) > I think a company did that.. I forget the name of the company but they > were peeved at having to release the source.. so they would send the > code in paper format if you requested it. If anyone ever asks why newer, longer, more legally-precise versions of the GPL are drafted every few years, it's because of companies that act in this kind of childish fashion, doing everything in their power to weasel out of the spirit and legal framework of FOSS licensees. Hopefully the Meego project will never have to deal with this kind of behavior from an upstream project. -- Robinson _______________________________________________ MeeGo-dev mailing list [email protected] http://lists.meego.com/listinfo/meego-dev
