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Re: Distributing GPL software.



Daniel Carrera said on Wed, Jan 11, 2006 at 10:06:52PM +0000,:

 > Michael Poole wrote:
 > >As GPL section 3(c) indicates, you may use that option if you were
 > >given a written offer to provide source *and* your distribution is
 > >"noncommercial".  You have given no hint whether your distribution
 > >could be considered commercial, and the GPL is unfortunately vague
 > >as to what it means by "noncommercial distribution".
 > 
 > These CDs are for the SCALE conference (Sourthern California Linux 
 > Expo). I was thinking of selling the CDs at like $1 to recover the cost. 
 > I guess that constitutes "commercial" use :(
 > 
 > If by "written permission" the GPL means "paper", then I certainly don't 
 > have that :(  If written can be "electronic" I'll check the distribution 
 > to see if it has that.

Download  the  binary  and  the *corresponding*  source  code.   While
distributing only the  binary.  put on the CD, a  file saying that the
source code  to every binary  on the CD  is available from you  to the
person  you gave the  cd.  (``Sources  are available  from <address>''
will  do).   Now, if  somebody  says  that  you are  doing  commercial
distribution,  you can  comply by  giving sources  to the  persons who
contact you at the <address>. (you now comply with 3(b) ). 
 
I suppose you will be  distributing the binaries as you download them;
so hunt  down the  url from where  the sources are  available. Include
URIs to both the binary and source in (preferably the same as in above
para) file  on the cd. This  should reduce the burden  of requests for
sources made direct to you.

-- 
Mahesh T. Pai

Copying an idea is plagiarism. Copying many ideas
from many authors is RESEARCH.



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