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On Wed, 2006-06-28 at 17:18 +0200, Mivz wrote: |
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> Mike Doty wrote: |
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> > Mivz wrote: |
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> >>> Then I have got this one question, I don't need a answer too. |
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> >>> |
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> >>> How free is free software if you need a lawyer and a expensive server |
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> >>> just to be able to publish your addition under your own name? |
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> >>> |
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> > Very free. There are many project sites that will host your content if |
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> > you have it under a GPL or similar license. Similarly, as long as you |
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> > provide the source, you satisfy the main point of GPL. Thousands of |
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> > projects do exactly this without any input from a lawyer. |
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> > |
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> |
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> But then it's still 'free beer', and not 'freedom'. I still can not |
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> write a patch and make a cd with the patch applied to give to my mum and |
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> my friends, without the risk of my intelligence being stolen and abused. |
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> Or I have to go through the hassle of finding a provider, which of |
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> course needs attention too. |
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|
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This is a common misconception. All that you really need to provide is |
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the patches. If you, for example, made a Gentoo-based distribution, and |
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made changes to 3 packages, you would only need provide the source for |
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those three packages. At most, providing a link to the upstream (us) |
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packages/code/etc for everything else would be required. Also, you are |
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only required to provide source to the people you provide binaries to, |
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and you're only required to do so on request. Meaning that if you made |
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a CD and only gave it to your mom, you don't need a server. You just |
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need to burn her a CD of source if she asked. It really is that simple. |
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The only way you need a server is if you're going about distributing it |
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to the world, and you made a ton of changes. Remember, the GPL just |
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says that you have to provide the code. Pointing someone to where they |
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can get it *is* providing it, so long as any patches/changes you've made |
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are also available under some means. |
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|
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-- |
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Chris Gianelloni |
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Release Engineering - Strategic Lead |
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x86 Architecture Team |
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Games - Developer |
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Gentoo Linux |