Re: A newbie's confusion about GPL

["Paul Smith" <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com>]

%% Dasn Cups <dasn@users.sourceforge.net> writes:

  dc> If I use GNU's source code in my project but don't open my source,
  dc> who will punish me?

If you use GPL'd code and you don't distribute the results to anyone
else, that's perfectly legal.

If you use GPL'd code and you distribute the results, you have to give
the source code, either along with the program or when people ask you
for it.

If you use GPL'd code and distribute the results and refuse to hand out
the source code, the copyright holder of the GPL'd code can sue you for
copyright violation.

If you really meant code owned by the GNU project, the copyright holder
is most likely the Free Software Foundation (FSF), and they would sue
you, if it came to that.

But you can easily tell who holds the copyright, just look for the
copyright notice.  Anyway, you should never use others' code without
reading and understanding the licensing terms.

-- 
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 Paul D. Smith <psmith@nortelnetworks.com>   HASMAT--HA Software Mthds & Tools
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
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