Re: copyright question
On Tue, Jun 08, 1999 at 05:44:26PM -0700, Sudhakar Chandrasekharan wrote:
> Taketoshi Sano proclaimed:
> > 1-a. Source distribution have all information in the original distribution.
> > 1-b. Binary distribution have the complete corresponding machine-readable
> > source code to build up the working version of the software.
> Many users get Debian in a binary form (because it is cheaper). How could
> such a user comply with 1-b when they buy a binary only CD? 1-c is too
> complex for me to even understand.
They don't comply with 1-b, they comply with 1-c, which is taken from the
GPL almost exactly.
> Furthermore, all bits are machine-redable by nature. The bits are already
> in a machine. In my eyes 1-b might be read as saying that you can ship the
> binaries as long as you ship *printed* source code with it that is machine
> readable.
Umm, I don't see where you're getting "printed" from. "Machine-readable
source code" is generaly understood to mean somthing a compiler can
understand. Then again "generaly understood" and "a judge will take to
mean" can be very different things.
> 1-b. Binary distribution have documentation on means of obtaining source
> code to build a working version of the software.
This isn't what he's looking for -- this could be a slip of paper that says:
"For complete source code to build a working version of this software, send
a check for $20,000 and a self-addressed stamped envelope to Ty Coon." It's
DFSG free, but it won't guarantee that users can get source code, which is
clearly the intent of the author. He might be better served by simply going
GPL; he has most of the gist there already.
-=- James Mastros
--
First they came for the fourth amendment, but I said nothing because I
wasn't a drug dealer. Then they came for the sixth amendment, but I kept
quiet because I wasn't guilty. Finally they came for the first amendment,
and by then it was too late to say anything at all."
-=- Nancy Lebowitz
cat /dev/urandom|james --insane=yes > http://www.rtweb.net/theorb/
ICQ: 1293899 AIM: theorbtwo YPager: theorbtwo
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