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Article #72491

Re: GPL and Public Domain

#72491
From: Lieutenant 030
Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1992 16:53
29 lines
2119 bytes
os360051@wvnvms.wvnet.edu (T. Kurt Bond) writes:
> In article <wNm0eB7w164w@mantis.co.uk>, 
> mathew@mantis.co.uk (Lieutenant 030) writes:
> > The GPL isn't at all unique in that respect.  Software released as public
> > domain is just as freely duplicatable by the users, and they're every bit
> > as guaranteed to be able to get source.
> 
> No, they are not as guaranteed to be able to get the source.  When a user get
> an executable for something that is GPLed, they either get the source code
> along with it, or a offer to send the source code along for the costs of the
> distribution.  The user will always know how to get the source.  When a user
> gets an executable for some public domain software, there is no guarantee tha
> source or instructions for getting the source will come with it; the user may
> not even know that the software is public domain and that the source is
> available.

Sorry, I was too many steps ahead here.  I'm thinking of a possible Truly Free
Software Foundation license, which only requires that the user be given
the address of the TFSF so that he can ask them where he can get the source
to whatever program the Big Bad Commercial Company viciously enslaved...


mathew

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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!mcsun!uknet!slxsys!ibmpcug!mantis!mathew
References: <1992Jan30.142847.2220@wvnvms.wvnet.edu>

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From: mathew@mantis.co.uk (Lieutenant 030)
Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss
Subject: Re: GPL and Public Domain
Message-ID: <JFVkFB35w164w@mantis.co.uk>
Date: 3 Feb 92 16:53:18 GMT
References: <1992Jan30.142847.2220@wvnvms.wvnet.edu>
Distribution: world,public
Organization: Mantis Consultants, Cambridge. UK.
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