[wellylug] Linux as selling point.

Phillip Hutchings sitharus at sitharus.com
Sat Aug 13 11:02:04 NZST 2005


> Yes - but the question is... who is using the software? Surely the
> manufacturer is using the software to make its gadget work. The
> purchaser of the gadget cannot choose to install or to uninstall  
> any of
> the embedded software.

That is completely irrelevant. The question is, as per section three,  
have they distributed an executable form of the application. The  
answer cannot be no. There is an executable form on the device. The  
GPL doesn't care about how it is stored or where it will be executed,  
or even if it will be executed at all. All that matters is that there  
is an executable form of the program - and this could be a shell  
script, a compiled C program, or even a Java jar file.

So, distribute something under the GPL in any way and you must  
provide reasonable access to source code. People may have to request  
it in writing and pay $10 for media, postage and packaging, but you  
must make it available.

--
Phillip Hutchings
phillip.hutchings at sitharus.com


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