Mailing-List: contact cygwin-help@cygwin.com; run by ezmlm List-Subscribe: List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: , Sender: cygwin-owner@cygwin.com Delivered-To: mailing list cygwin@cygwin.com Message-ID: From: Jon Allen To: "'Charles Wilson'" Cc: "'cygwin@cygwin.com'" Subject: RE: cygwin redistribution and gpl requirements Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 12:41:39 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Chuck, Thanks for your information. After several close readings of the GPL I could not determine this. Jon > Jon Allen wrote: > > > My company wants to re-distribute some of the pre-compiled > cygwin utilities, > > e.g. grep.exe. These utilities will be distributed without > modification, > > and to make them run we will copy the needed cygwin dll's. > I assume we will > > maintain GPL compliance if we: > > > > 1. Include a copy of the GPL with the programs. > > 2. Reference source code availability at http://cygwin.com > > > > Is this sufficient? > > > (IANAL) > No, it is not. The GPL states that if YOU distribute GPL > binaries, then > YOU must also distribute the sources. A pointer to a web > page outside > of your control, that might die, doesn't satisfy your legal > obligations. > > Besides, what if the cygwin site stops distributing the > source code for > cygwin-1.3.3 -- because we're now distributing cygwin-1.3.9, > and provide > the source code for the NEW version? Where are YOUR users > going to get > the source code for the version of the cygwin DLL that YOU are > distributing? You gave them version 1.3.3 -- they need to be able to > get the source code for version 1.3.3. > > Those who obtain the software from you, must also be able to > obtain the > source code from you via the same distribution medium. Thus, if you > provide the binaries via your ftp site, then you must put the > sources on > that ftp site. If you mail out CDROMs with the binaries, > then those who > receive the CDROMs must be able to request a CDROM with the > source code. > > A close reading of the GPL itself would reveal these things...but a > company, having more at stake than individuals, should seek > the advice > of a lawyer before venturing into new legal waters. (Not > that the GPL > is new, but based on your questions it appears that they are > new waters > for your company) > > --Chuck > -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Bug reporting: http://cygwin.com/bugs.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/