[linux-audio-user] Fervent Software Studio..to go! and GPL issues

[Sampo Savolainen]

On Wed, 2004-12-15 at 20:07 +0100, Christian Frisson wrote:
> What is the difference between this case and the "hi-jacked" Audacity versions
> that used to be sold on eBay under another app name?

Fervent Software's product is a Linux distribution. A more closer
analogy would be "What is the difference between this case and Red Hat
selling their distribution?".

GPL doesn't prohibit selling the software, though it's more probable
that the license does not prohibit selling media containing the
software. Thus, allowing Red Hat and Fervent Software (+a few
others.. :) to sell GPL software.

The "restriction" is that the source code for the program must be
available. This doesn't really apply to most distributions as the source
code is compiled as it is, so the source is found on the original
website/ftp site/etc. (Though, many distributions do provide "source"
CD/DVDs)

This "source code must be free" restriction also applies to any
modifications made to the (distributed) software. So, any patches (in
the case of eBay audacity, the name changes) must be provided with the
software or available free somewhere.

>From what I know the other significant relevant restriction in the
license is that the GPL must be included with the software and clearly
stating that the software in question is licensed under GPL.

*Disclaimer* IANAL. The GPL is a complicated beast. There are a lot of
clauses in the license. This is not even a simplified version of the
license. This covers only a small (but significant) part of the license,
which I haven't read (I wouldn't understand lawyer-talk anyway). If you
know better, correct me. :)


  Sampo