Re: GPL issues (Re: sources for Knoppix 4.02)
Thanks, Klaus, that's most helpful. It is good
to get confirmation of the way we are thinking.
O am writing a briefing note on this subject
for OSS Watch, so I wanted to sort out these details.
First of all: I believe that the FSF, or rather, their representative,
was not going to do Free Software developers and distributors a favour
with the somewhat "too short" explanation they approved as "official
opinion of the FSF" for the MEPIS project.
yes, this has been a bit of a public relations disaster for the FSF.
I use option 3b), which is absolutely sufficient. You do NOT have to
create a public mirror of the complete source, for each single and
probably very obsolete package.
oh, sure. but in order to distribute by DVD, I do have to create
the mirror on my own hard disk....
I think your notes and suggestions will deal
with my list of niggles. I'll try to avoid asking
you for source DVD :-}
Sorry to say this, but in my legal understanding, the FSF cannot
"interpret" the GPL in other means that are legally correct and
applicable in each country.
That's true. But in a law court, the judge would take
some notice of their opinions, I think, though
not bound to respect them. Judges do tend to
follow public opinion.
I believe there was a kind of
misunderstanding between Mr. Turner and the MEPIS project. The FSF
clearly hasn't ruled out a vaild option given in the GPL for source
distribution of MEPIS
yes, the FSF are indulging in a little bit of blackmail there ...
--
Sebastian Rahtz
Information Manager, Oxford University Computing Services
13 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6NN. Phone +44 1865 283431
OSS Watch: JISC Open Source Advisory Service
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk
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