Re: [gentoo-dev] GPL and Source code providing

["Kevin F. Quinn" <kevquinn@gentoo.org>]

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On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 11:21:45 +0200
Mivz <mivz@alpha.spugium.net> wrote:

> Does this obligation, to provide your own source, also count for a
> none Gentoo developer making a overlay tree for one of his projects
> which is licensed under de GPL-2?

If your project is licensed under the GPL-2, you have to honour the
provisions of that license.  You can't license something under the GPL
and not provide the source.

If you're distributing binary packages, you need to distribute also the
source code that went to make up those binary packages (i.e. your
changes/additions and also both upstream sources).

If you're only distributing source code (e.g. ebuild scripts, patch
files) then there's nothing further you need to do.

> Would that mean that, if u write software using the portage system,
> that every package that is used by one of your own should be
> available from a server of your own?

You need to provide the source for all binaries you distribute.

> If, the developer should also provide it's own file server with all
> those packages, this would cause that every developer that wanted to
> make a overlay should be a Gentoo file mirror?

Only if they distribute binaries, in which case source should be
provided sufficient to build those binaries.

> Do my senses run wilde? Your just my imagination?
> Do I understand this right?

If you're not sure whether something you do is compliant with the
relevant licenses, talk to an appropriate lawyer.

-- 
Kevin F. Quinn

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