Re: Linux and GPLv2

[Gervase Markham <gerv@mozilla.org>]

Kuno Woudt wrote:
>   * d) If the Program as you received it is intended to interact with
>   users through a computer network and if, in the version you received,
>   any user interacting with the Program was given the opportunity to
>   request transmission to that user of the Program's complete source
>   code, you must not remove that facility from your modified version of
>   the Program or work based on the Program, and must offer an
>   equivalent opportunity for all users interacting with your Program
>   through a computer network to request immediate transmission by HTTP
>   of the complete source code of your modified version or other
>   derivative work.

Incidentally, this is pretty badly drafted, IMO. For example:

- The requirement to not remove certain particular code is probably
  non-free;

- The general requirement to make code available for download could be
  asserted without the "don't remove code X" clause;

- Specifying HTTP is not future-proof, and may not be appropriate for
  some programs or environments;

- What happens if the program interacts with other programs over a
  network? How do you define "interacting with a user"?

Gerv