9 Apr
2004
9 Apr
'04
10:42 p.m.
Jan Depner wrote:
I agree completely. The relevant quote from the GPL
FAQ is this:
"You're supposed to provide the source code by mail-order on a
physical medium, if someone orders it. You are welcome to offer people a
way to copy the corresponding source code by FTP, in addition to the
mail-order option, but FTP access to the source is not sufficient to
satisfy section 3 of the GPL."
"When a user orders the source, you have to make sure to get the
source to that user. If a particular user can conveniently get the
source from you by anonymous FTP, fine--that does the job. But not every
user can do such a download. The rest of the users are just as entitled
to get the source code from you, which means you must be prepared to
send it to them by post."
"If the FTP access is convenient enough, perhaps no one will choose
to mail-order a copy. If so, you will never have to ship one. But you
cannot assume that."
"Of course, it's easiest to just send the source with the binary in
the first place."
The important point is "if someone orders it".
True, maybe nobody will order it. But they're supposed to supply a
__written__ offer that if anyone does order it, it will be sent.