Re: software licensing
Jarrod Henry <magnwa@lionking.org> writes:
> Please note that if the employees want copies of the source, though, they
> can go outside the chain of command to where the boss has made the source
> publically available (due to GPL) and download it/order it from there.
The GPL does not compel distribution; it only requires that *if* you
distribute, that you supply source. Therefore, the boss need not make
the modified GPLed program available to the public at all, if the
binary is also not distributed to the public.
On the other hand, the GPL does compel the boss to provide source when
he distributes the program to the employees.
(The basic pattern here is that the GPL does not force you to share
the modifications you make... but the moment you *do* share them (by
making a copy of the program), no matter who with, you must
effectively share them with the whole world. I might not think the
GPL is the best license for all code, but I have to admit, it appears
to do what it intends...)
--Rob
--
Rob Tillotson N9MTB <rob@io.com>
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