Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on June 28, 2006 07:02 AM
There is actually a clause in the GPL (v2) that is very useful for the small-time developer. I think too many people overlook it. One does _not_ have to maintain a source repository online.
Seciton (3) of the GPL deals with the requirement to make source available. It provides three different methods by which it may be done (and only one needs to be followed). Item (3)(b) reads:
"b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange;"
By providing appropriate notice with the binaries, one does not have to provide sources online. The sources do need to be kept, but the small-time developer does _not_ have to maintain/provide an online site for the sources. Those who want the source may request it, but the develor can charge for the cost of CDs/DVDs and the postage to mail them to the requestor.
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The clause for the little guy
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on June 28, 2006 07:02 AMSeciton (3) of the GPL deals with the requirement to make source available. It provides three different methods by which it may be done (and only one needs to be followed). Item (3)(b) reads:
"b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange;"
By providing appropriate notice with the binaries, one does not have to provide sources online. The sources do need to be kept, but the small-time developer does _not_ have to maintain/provide an online site for the sources. Those who want the source may request it, but the develor can charge for the cost of CDs/DVDs and the postage to mail them to the requestor.
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