🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sun, 16 Jan 2000 16:31:53 -0800, Jeffrey B. Siegal <jbs@quiotix.com> wrote:
>Isaac wrote:
>> So you do believe that I have to give myself source code if I copy an
>> executable from one directory to another or from one of my own computers
>> to another.  This doesn't seem even the least bit silly to you?
>
>Of course it is silly.  If you already have the source code and the right to
>distribute, then you don't need to give it to yourself.  But if you give
>someone else a copy of the program, then the source code, or the right to
>obtain it, and the right to redistribute needs to accompany the copy itself. 

So in other words, you must distribute or give the binaries to someone else
in order to trigger the provide source code or an offer clause.  Simply 
copying it but not giving it to others doesn't require such action, and as
far as I can see, any other responsibility.  You apparently agree but seem 
to think it matters whether or not you already have the source code.

Even if you don't have the source code, and I'm sure lots of linux users
don't have the source code for all the executables they use, you don't have
to go fetch the source code in order to give yourself permission to copy
binaries on your own computer.   I think you disagree with this, but you
seem to be the only person I've every encountered who does.

>Think of the source code and the right to redistribute being "stapled" to the
>executable.  You can't separate them.
>
You most certainly can separate them.   There are plenty of reasons to copy 
that are not fair use and are not distribution.  If I buy a linux disk
and install it on every computer I own at my house, I copy but do not 
distribute.  Until I distribute, I needn't worry about the source code 
accompanying binary clause.  You have said as much yourself.  Were such
not the case, it would be a GPL violation to install a executables from
a binary only distribution.

I read section 3 to say that if I copy and distribute I incur certain
responsibilities.  But the responsibilities are only to those to whom
I distribute binaries.   Even if you read "copy and distribute" to mean 
"copy or distribute" no responsibilities are triggered until distribution
occurs.  So effectively copying alone incurs no responsibility.

Isaac