Re: Requiring registration of GPL software
Danilo Piazzalunga wrote:
Hello,
Sorry if this is not quite in-topic for debian-legal. I run into E4[1], a
collection of Matlab functions, distributed under the GPL.
However, the software can be only downloaded as a zip file protected by a
password, which you can get only by contacting the authors: this effectively
equals to requiring registration of the software.
Apparently, this is in contrast with the GPL (see [2]). I'd just like to be
sure before (politely) informing the authors of this.
A quote from the download page follows:
E4 Toolbox is redistributable software. You may redistribute it
and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
(GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation.
For the moment E4 Toolbox is distributed in a encrypted zip file.
CONTACT us to get the password.
IANAL, but IMO it is legal.
GPL requires that "vendor" give you the sources of binary that you
get from them. So to have sources of GPL, you may need to pay.
The good thing, after you have the code, you can freely redistribute,
and so nobody had to buy the sources.
In other word:
if you buy or download legally the GPL binary files, they MUST
give for free (or small media cost) the sources. There is no requirment
to make public GPL software.
Immagine if a lot of people ask me about release some of my not
finished GPL software? My internet band and forces will interrupt
to much my work!
ciao
cate
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