Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Thu, 30 Nov 2000 13:10:15 -0700 | From | "Jeff V. Merkey" <> | Subject | Re: Fasttrak100 questions... |
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On Thu, Nov 30, 2000 at 01:09:37PM -0500, Christopher Friesen wrote: > "Jeff V. Merkey" wrote: > > > > On Thu, Nov 30, 2000 at 10:14:47AM -0500, Christopher Friesen wrote: > > > > I think you should re-read the GPL. You only have to provide source to > > > people to whome you have distributed your new binaries, and you only > > > have to provide that source if you are asked for it. If you have some > > > code that you have written that is based on GPL'd code, and you are the > > > only person that ever runs the binaries, then there is no obligation for > > > you to make your code available to anybody. > > > > Depends on what terms the code is provided under. Using GPL code in a > > for profit enterprise and distributing it to customers does require > > that the changes be provided upon request. I have read the GPL, and > > I've had a lot of lawyers around here read and analyze it too. > > > > :-) > > Well of course this is the case. I specifically said that I am the only > one that ever ran the binaries. Once you start distributing it to other > people, then they can request the source additions/modifications and you > are obligated to provide it. > > Theoretically you could use software based on GPL'd code all throughout > a for-profit corporation and make boatloads of money using that > software. As long as you don't distribute it to customers outside the > company, and as long as none of the employees using it ask for the > source and distribute it outside the company, nobody outside that > corporation has any right to the source even though it is being used for > profit.
I'm not certain this is technically correct, but I think it would be worth having some folks here investigate this secnario.
Jeff
> > -- > Chris Friesen | MailStop: 043/33/F10 > Nortel Networks | work: (613) 765-0557 > 3500 Carling Avenue | fax: (613) 765-2986 > Nepean, ON K2H 8E9 Canada | email: cfriesen@nortelnetworks.com - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
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