3 ms·

They can only request the source code if you give them the binary. So sell them the binary and relax.

by yarrel 7y ago

xeromal 7y ago
Does that mean if Tesla charged $1 for the software on their cars, they wouldn't need to give their source code?
- progval 7y ago
  No, they still have to provide it on request.
- esotericn 7y ago
  They need to give the source code to the recipients of the binaries who are then free to release the source code (or not) as they see fit.
  - xeromal 7y ago
    Thanks for the clarification
- tialaramex 7y ago
  The GPL gives them a few options for how to ensure everybody can modify GPL software which you've supplied as a binary 1. Supply a preferred form for modification (e.g. a source tarball on a CD) which of course is GPL'd and so the recipient can copy it and modify it as they choose. 2. Provide a written offer, valid for at least 3 years which says you'll give ANYBODY the source code if they ask 3. Only if you got the software from somebody else and are now passing it on non-commercially (e.g. to a friend) you can pass on an offer you got under (2) so they can use it since it says ANYBODY. You'll notice that complying is _incredibly simple_ if you actually want to. Anybody with even a halfway competent process for shipping code could add a "Make CD image of source code" feature to it in a day. But no, there isn't any way to avoid complying, except as with anything in copyright law you could just refuse to comply and then eventually maybe you get taken to court and you pretend you just didn't understand the rules. Unlike in the music industry it seems to be very hard in software to get judges to accept the idea that egregious and ongoing unauthorised use must result in destroying the unauthorised artefacts at the cost of the violator. e.g. if you just publish somebody else's bassline in your new single, the judge will tell you to buy back copies sold to stores, then burn them all, and eat the cost. But you can guess Tesla won't be obliged to buy back every single Tesla car sold with non-compliant software and then scrap them and go bankrupt.

They can only request the source code if you give them the binary. So sell them the binary and relax.

by yarrel 7y ago

They can only request the source code if you give them the binary. So sell them the binary and relax.

xeromal 7y ago

Does that mean if Tesla charged $1 for the software on their cars, they wouldn't need to give their source code?

progval 7y ago
No, they still have to provide it on request.
esotericn 7y ago
They need to give the source code to the recipients of the binaries who are then free to release the source code (or not) as they see fit.
- xeromal 7y ago
  Thanks for the clarification
tialaramex 7y ago
The GPL gives them a few options for how to ensure everybody can modify GPL software which you've supplied as a binary 1. Supply a preferred form for modification (e.g. a source tarball on a CD) which of course is GPL'd and so the recipient can copy it and modify it as they choose. 2. Provide a written offer, valid for at least 3 years which says you'll give ANYBODY the source code if they ask 3. Only if you got the software from somebody else and are now passing it on non-commercially (e.g. to a friend) you can pass on an offer you got under (2) so they can use it since it says ANYBODY. You'll notice that complying is _incredibly simple_ if you actually want to. Anybody with even a halfway competent process for shipping code could add a "Make CD image of source code" feature to it in a day. But no, there isn't any way to avoid complying, except as with anything in copyright law you could just refuse to comply and then eventually maybe you get taken to court and you pretend you just didn't understand the rules. Unlike in the music industry it seems to be very hard in software to get judges to accept the idea that egregious and ongoing unauthorised use must result in destroying the unauthorised artefacts at the cost of the violator. e.g. if you just publish somebody else's bassline in your new single, the judge will tell you to buy back copies sold to stores, then burn them all, and eat the cost. But you can guess Tesla won't be obliged to buy back every single Tesla car sold with non-compliant software and then scrap them and go bankrupt.