Charging ($20) for GPL source?

[Omar Kaminski]

As a retribution fee, I agree.

I'm not questioning this (if you should, pay, why to pay), but the 
hard-to-get process (send by mail, pay the taxes). Specially overseas.

So if someone pays for the cd and "bypass" the intention putting the code 
avaliable, why bother? Again the demand rules.

Best,
Omar


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Eric Warnke
To: Omar Kaminski
Cc: Shane M. Coughlan ; legal at lists.gpl-violations.org
Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 1:23 PM
Subject: Re: Charging ($20) for GPL source?


Omar,

They are fulfilling the GPL in word if not in spirit.  With the number of 
companies that are non compliant in ether sense I really can't get too upset 
about $20 source code replication fee.  As I have stated you have every 
right to turn around and post the code you receive to SF.net and enable 
others to avoid the fee.

Cheers,
Eric


On 12/16/06, Omar Kaminski <omar at kaminski.com > wrote:
Okay, Shane.

But these subjetive questions make the evolution. I am not questioning the
GPL itself.

Remember the topic, they didn't make the source code avaliable only.
Besides, without the code you cannot exercise all the 4 liberties of Free
Software.

Omar



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shane M. Coughlan" <shane at shaneland.co.uk>
To: "Omar Kaminski" <omar at kaminski.com>
Cc: < legal at lists.gpl-violations.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 12:11 PM
Subject: Re: Charging ($20) for GPL source?


> Omar Kaminski wrote:
>> Please, let me reformulate this:
>> IMO you're *not* imposed to distribute the work licensed under the GPL.
>> But once you do, the binaries should be avaliable too, or toghether.
>
> The GNU GPL requires that if you distribute binaries you must also
> redistribute source code, but if you distribute only source code you
> would also be fulfilling the terms of the licence.
>
> As for charging, if the actual cost to the company of preparing and
> shipping the source code on CD ROM is $20 then there is nothing wrong in
> charging $20; they are fulfilling the terms of the licence.
>
> Please let's stick to the terms of the GNU GPL.
>
> There is a good FAQ here:
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html
>
> Discussions about what people think should be done are purely subjective
> opinion, and do not reflect the obligations imposed on the parties by
> the GNU GPL.
>
> Regards
>
> Shane
>
> --
> Shane Coughlan
> FTF Coordinator
> Free Software Foundation Europe
> +41435000366 ext 408
> coughlan at fsfeurope.org
> Support Free Software > http://fsfe.org