🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <whenbdyvk2.fsf@heidrun.troll.no>, Steinar Bang <sb@metis.no> writes:
|> >>>>> dmcook@cts.com (David M. COok):
|> 
|> > On 10 May 1997 21:03:37 +0200, Kim-Minh Kaplan 
|> > <kimminh.kaplan@utopia.eunet.fr> wrote:
|> 
|> >>>>>>> On May  9, 1997, David A Cuthbert said:
|> 
|> David> ComponentSoftware Ltd. makes a port for Win95/NT of the GNU
|> David> RCS; look at http://www.componentsoftware.com/csrcs/ .
|> David> Unfortunately, it isn't free ($49 single-user, $199 for five
|> David> users).
|> >> [...]
|> 
|> >> Isn't GNU RCS GPLed ?
|> 
|> > The GPL allows you to sell the software as long as you don't keep
|> > the source code from the user.
|> 
|> It isn't that simple.  The GPL basically also says that you can buy a
|> single user license, and use it for as many people as you like, give
|> it away, sell it, whatever.
|> 
|> They aren't allowed to impose those kinds of restrictions on you, as a
|> user.

From the GPL

<quote>
  6. Each time you redistribute the Program (or any work based on the
Program), the recipient automatically receives a license from the original
licensor to copy, distribute or modify the Program subject to these
terms and conditions.  You may not impose any further restrictions on the
recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.
</quote>

It is my understanding (as the previous poster states) that you could buy a copy and
give it away to all your friends. If any piece of their commercial program contains
GPL'ed code, then their entire program  is under the GPL:

<quote>
  2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of
it, and copy and distribute such modifications under the terms of Paragraph
1 above, provided that you also do the following:

    [...]

    b) cause the whole of any work that you distribute or publish, that
    in whole or in part contains the Program or any part thereof, either
    with or without modifications, to be licensed at no charge to all
    third parties under the terms of this General Public License (except
    that you may choose to grant warranty protection to some or all
    third parties, at your option).
</quote>

I am no lawyer, but it seems to me that these commercial programs that are front
ends for GNU software are also subject to the GPL.

-- wayne
Wayne O. Cochran
wcochran@eecs.wsu.edu  
http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~wcochran  
Ecclesiastes 3:11