From skianagh at googlemail.com  Fri Feb  5 14:42:22 2010
From: skianagh at googlemail.com (Kevin Grant)
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 13:42:22 +0000
Subject: GNU code in DLLs
Message-ID: <fc914a7f1002050542jef03159r9885c3a63ba9099d@mail.gmail.com>

Hi,

I have stumbled upon a commercial software package which contains GNU
GPL licensed code and has no source available for download.
Technically, I suppose they are not violating the GPL unless I ask for
source and they refuse (correct?) but I am unsure of how much source
code to ask for.

The application is windows based and is split into 50 or so DLLs, some
of those DLLs contain gcc-avr and sdcc compiler code, both licensed
under the GPL with copyrights held by FSF and Sandeep Dutta (I think)
respectively. I believe all the exectuable code is delivered in one
install, although purchased unlock codes are required to enable the
compiler functionality.

In this case, how much code should be made available to the community,
just that for the DLLs containing GPL code....or does it go further
than that? Does the inclusion of unlock codes to enable GPL code muddy
the waters?

I can supply a trial download link to the vendors website, but want to
be sure of my facts first.

Many thanks,

Kevin


From itm at itmo.dyndns.org  Fri Feb  5 15:56:01 2010
From: itm at itmo.dyndns.org (Markus Mikkolainen)
Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 16:56:01 +0200 (EET)
Subject: GNU code in DLLs
In-Reply-To: <fc914a7f1002050542jef03159r9885c3a63ba9099d@mail.gmail.com>
References: <fc914a7f1002050542jef03159r9885c3a63ba9099d@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.1002051654410.5597@inet>


IANAL but unless they have a statement which says taht such and such code 
is under GPL and you can get the source from <here> , they are already in 
breach. I dont think activation codes change anything. DLL interfaces 
might change something if it is a plugin interface. I suggest you contact 
the copyright holders with evidence and ask them.


On Fri, 5 Feb 2010, Kevin Grant wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have stumbled upon a commercial software package which contains GNU
> GPL licensed code and has no source available for download.
> Technically, I suppose they are not violating the GPL unless I ask for
> source and they refuse (correct?) but I am unsure of how much source
> code to ask for.
>
> The application is windows based and is split into 50 or so DLLs, some
> of those DLLs contain gcc-avr and sdcc compiler code, both licensed
> under the GPL with copyrights held by FSF and Sandeep Dutta (I think)
> respectively. I believe all the exectuable code is delivered in one
> install, although purchased unlock codes are required to enable the
> compiler functionality.
>
> In this case, how much code should be made available to the community,
> just that for the DLLs containing GPL code....or does it go further
> than that? Does the inclusion of unlock codes to enable GPL code muddy
> the waters?
>
> I can supply a trial download link to the vendors website, but want to
> be sure of my facts first.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Kevin
>
>