On 10/19/2010 05:03 AM, Karanbir Singh wrote:
On 10/19/2010 12:52 PM, Jerry Franz wrote:
Once you publish/distribute GPL licensed code to *anyone*, your
obligation to provide source kicks in for *everyone*. In practice, few
people hammer at a company "in process" over it. But you *can*.
I am not a lawyer, but you blurb seems to indicate that the issue is
applicable to people with the object code, which would make my last
point valid.
Only on v3 license code. Most code is still under v2.
Also, there are legalise around exactly what is considered a product /
code snippet / build script and distribution - which is what makes
things like NDA's workable.
Actually, the GPL forbids using 'add on' agreements like NDAs that
attempt to make it so an end user can't recompile or redistribute the
code. The authors thought of those attempts to 'end run' the GPL's
obligations when they wrote it. That is why clause 4 of the v2 license
(or clauses 8 and 10 of the v3 license) exists.
*v2: 4.* You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Program
except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt otherwise
to copy, modify, sublicense or distribute the Program is void, and will
automatically terminate your rights under this License. However, parties
who have received copies, or rights, from you under this License will
not have their licenses terminated so long as such parties remain in
full compliance.
NDAs that attempt to impose *restrictions* on the GPL while still
publishing/distributing to a third party can't overcome the basic legal
obligations of the GPL and this is *by design*. And yes, code snippets
and build scripts are covered, too. See clause 3 of the v2 license.
Being as deeply involved in a FOSS exercise like CentOS as you are, you
really should take the time to fully understand the license that enables
it to happen at all.
--
Benjamin Franz
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