Re: Summary (was: Distributing GPL Software as binary ISO)
Martin Schulze <joey@infodrom.org> writes:
> Distributing GPL'ed software in object code or executable form, either
> as CD image through the Internet or as pressed or burned CD, requires
> the distributor (commercial or non-commercial doesn't seem to matter)
> to advise the person, who receives the binary form, how to obtain the
> source code of the software. Pointing them only to an FTP server from
> a third party is not sufficient.
As the GPL says:
(1) You can give them a copy of the source yourself. (If they are
downloading the binary from some archive, then putting the source on
the same archive is good enough; you don't have to force them to
download it.)
OR
(2) You can give them an offer to provide the source to anyone (not
merely your own customers) at a later date--that's you, yourself, not
some other third party--at cost alone.
OR
(3) IF you are a non-profit, and IF you received the binaries with an
offer like in number (2) above, then you can merely pass on that
offer.
> When such a CD (or image) is distributed the distributor is required
> to inform the user how to obtain the source code and is advised to
> distribute a source CD (containing the exact source to all packages on
> the binary CD) through the same channels or burn a CD and store it in
> a shelf, so a user request for source code can be fulfilled with a
> manually burned copy.
No, the distributor is *required* to either provide the source at no
additional charge, OR give an offer like number (2). Merely informing
"how to obtain the source code" is not necessarily sufficient.
> If such a CD is distributed through mail order on a physical medium,
> the source code has to be made available through mail order on a
> physical medium as well, since the distributor must not assume the
> user has sufficient bandwidth/internet access to download a large
> amount of data.
Not merely "made available". Either it comes *with* the binaries at
no additional cost, or it must come with an offer to provide the
source at cost of distribution alone.
Thomas
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