Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Reborn
From: Bob Ham (node_AT_users.sourceforge.net)
Date: Tue Aug 13 2002 - 15:28:36 EEST
On Tue, 2002-08-13 at 09:02, Frank Barknecht wrote:
> RTFM: In the Reborn-PDF Singer thanks the gsynth author for the
> permission to use his 303 code.
In that case, he might have given him a license that's not the GPL.
> Then I looked at the gsynth website at
> sf.net to find out its license. If I understand the GPL correctly, Singer
> still has some time left to make the source available, 3 years?
That's not strictly correct. He has to do one of three things: give the
source code with the binary, give the same notice he recieved with a
binary (which is irrelevant as he's not redistributing a binary,) or
make an offer to give anybody a copy of the source for the cost of the
medium. The *offer* must be valid for 3 years. This is the relevant
part of the GPL:
3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it,
under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of
Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:
a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable
source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections
1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,
b) Accompany it 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, to be
distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium
customarily used for software interchange; or,
c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer
to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is
allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you
received the program in object code or executable form with such
an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)
There's no leeway with the GPL. If you distribute a binary containing
GPL'd code and refuse to give the source to it, you violate the license
you were given. It doesn't matter if you say "I'll give you it in a
little while;" you're still saying "I'm not giving it to you now" and
disallowing people doing that is, like, the entire purpose of the GPL.
Bob
-- Bob Ham: bob_AT_ham.org http://pkl.net/~node/
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