Re: Liscences

[Roland Dreier <droland mail math okstate edu>]

>  || On 25 Feb 1999 17:01:14 +0100
>  || richard.rose@zen.co.uk (Richard Rose) wrote: 
> 
>  rr> As I have probably previously stated, I am working on yet another
>  rr> distribution of Linux with some friends of mine. I am after some
>  rr> clarification of the liscences of Gnome and it's dependancies.
> 
> O.k. - one definite answer to finally lay this thread to rest.
> 
> Neither the GPL nor the LGPL forbid to sell the software they
> protect. Take as much money as you can possibly get for selling it !
> 
> The only thing that you may *never ever* do while selling it is not
> distributing the sourcecode and the GPL along with it. 
> 
> If you cannot put the sourcecode on the medium you sell you'll have to
> find a way to supply the sourcecode _without_ _additional_ _cost_ for
> the customer and you have to make sure he knows it is his right to get
> the sourcecode. 

Unfortunately this definite answer is in fact definitely wrong.  What
the GPL actually states is:

"Accompany [the executable] with a written offer, valid for at least three
years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of
physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable
copy of the corresponding source code...." 

So some additional cost is allowed.  Note that this is just one option
among others that the GPL offers.  Read the actual license for details.

Roland