Re: Debian based GNU/Solaris: pilot program

[Michael Poole <mdpoole@troilus.org>]

Wouter Verhelst writes:

> Op wo, 02-11-2005 te 18:21 -0800, schreef Erast Benson:
>> GPL:
>> 
>> """The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
>> making modifications to it.  For an executable work, complete source
>> code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
>> associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to control
>> compilation and installation of the executable.  However, as a special
>> exception, the source code distributed need not include anything that is
>> normally distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major
>> components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on
>> which the executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the
>> executable."""
>
> *sigh*
>
> As Steve said: this does not apply, since you're planning to distribute
> the kernel together with the binaries. Read the final part of that
> clause ("unless that...") very carefully.

There is clear tension between this and the "mere aggregation" clause.
However, given that source code is only required for *contained*
modules, shared libraries or the kernel would seem to be more governed
by the mere aggregation clause than the treatment of the executable
work itself.

Given the usual treatment of ambiguous contract terms[1], the onus
seems to be on the FSF or GPLed-work copyright owner to demonstrate
that "contains" unambiguously includes "references".

[1]- Since neither statute nor case law has to my knowledge defined
treatment of "pure copyright licenses", traditional contract law seems
most applicable.

Michael Poole