Re: MPL and Source Code

[Henning Makholm <henning@makholm.net>]

Scripsit Craig Southeren <craigs@postincrement.com>

> But the same licenses that provide this freedom requires the distributor
> to make the source code available for the appropriate period regardless
> of what the upstream developer does. 

For free software, "the appropriate period" is exactly as long as
binaries are distributed. If the licence terms require a longer
period, then the software is not free.

> This would appear to be a problem that applies to any Open Source work
> that is distributed in binary form, and not on physical media. For
> example, the GPL requires a distributor to provide source code on demand
> for up to three years (see 3b) if the code is distrbuted in binary form.

No it does not. Read the GPL. Clause 3(b) is a non-free option but
fortunately the GPL also allows a distributor to use the free clause
3(a) instead.

-- 
Henning Makholm          "Also, the letters are printed. That makes the task
                        of identifying the handwriting much more difficult."