Other mirrors already have the sources, and you can always get a copy to manually build the package. Distributing the source on your own is really only important if you're hosting binaries compiled from modified sources.
See https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#SourceInCVS On Sun, May 29, 2022, 09:46 Imre Jonk <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm not sure if this is the right place to address this issue; as far > as I'm aware, there is no Arch mailing list or forum for legal matters. > What I'd like to discuss is the (unnecessary?) legal risk that mirror > operators are exposed to when they don't mirror source packages. > > I believe that most mirrors are violating article 6 of the GPLv3 (or > article 3 of the GPLv2). My reasoning goes like this: > > - The Arch repositories contain some software that is released under the > GPL (or GPL-like) license. > - Anyone distributing GPL-licensed software in compiled form is > obligated to distribute the source code as well, either alongside the > compiled software or, when accompanied by a 'written offer', on > request at a later date. (there are a few more ways under the GPLv3 > but I don't think they apply) > - Few mirrors provide source packages, and as far as I'm aware, there > are no mirrors out there that accompany the compiled software with a > written offer. > - Ergo, most Arch mirrors are violating the GPL. > > Note that I am by no means a GPL expert. Maybe I'm making some false > assumption or other error in my reasoning, in which case, please feel > free to point that out. > > I noticed that the ArchWiki considers mirroring sources optional [1], > making it seem like the author of that article encourages violating the > GPL in order to save some bandwidth and a bit of disk space. That > article also mentions that the size of the 'sources' component was > about 50 GiB in March 2018. I can't imagine it being significantly > larger by now. > > [1] > https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/DeveloperWiki:NewMirrors#Mirror_size > > I've been looking for old discussions on this topic and only found a > short mention in this forum thread: > https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1778318#p1778318 > > I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. > > Imre >
