> IMO, releasing the source code that operates people's property is equivalent to putting a list of ingredients on a packaged food product. pessimizer, I reall

> IMO, releasing the source code that operates people's property is equivalent to putting a list of ingredients on a packaged food product. pessimizer, I really like your metaphor, and I expect that using it is an easy way to introduce the subject to non-techies/non-law-geeks. Thank you! As I reflected on your metaphor, my first thought was that releasing source code is actually more closely similar to releasing the ingredients as well as the recipe for the packaged food. But my thinking is probably not always correct: An author can release their source code that operates on my property (the ingredients), but they have no obligation to release the process to build/compile said source code (the recipe). (Hopefully I'm correct, I'm certainly open to constructive criticism). That said, I truly appreciate it when developers offer easy-to-follow build instructions. However, for me at least, releasing the source almost always meets my needs for sufficient disclosure.