[OT] some weird GPL licensing questions

[Kurt Pfeifle]

Andras Mantia wrote:

> Alexander Neundorf wrote:
> 
> 
>>Let's say I (in the case I would be an until now proprietary-only
>>developing software company) would decide to make a library dual-licensed
>>GPL and commercial, I wouldn't have to put the GPL sources on a website,
>>right ? 
> 
> 
> If you put the GPL'd binaries to the webpage, you must put there also the
                                                     ^^^^
No.

> sources. Section 3:
> "If distribution of executable or object code is made by offering
> access to copy from a designated place, then offering equivalent
> access to copy the source code from the same place counts as
> distribution of the source code, even though third parties are not
> compelled to copy the source along with the object code."
> 
> Note the "same place". 
> 

In my take of it this just means that you are complying with the
requirements of the GPL *if* you put up source code alongside the
related binaries. You can stop distributing both at any time.
But if you put up binaries only, you must guarantee availability
of source on request for a certain time (is it 3 years?) *after*
you stopped distributing binaries...

> > 
>>I would only have to ensure that everybody who buys the binary 
>>version from me is able to get the sources for the binary, maybe he has to
>>send me a mail and then I send him the sources. Right ?
> 
> I think offering them the sources only if they request can be interpreted as
> a violation of GPL,

No. The GPL explicitely covers this variant.

> as this is somewhat a restriction of their rights to
> get the sources.

That right is a *right* for them to get, not a duty for them to
take. The right must be turned into actual delivery of source
once it is requested. The paragraph you quoted above is only
saying that a common distribution (like the public web site
offering) of both is taking care of that GPL requirment. In
this case you don't need to make the source available through
other means (like shipping it on media)...

Cheers,
Kurt