Legal issues involved in GPL licenses

[kh44na]

Hello There,

I just had a very quick question - I was interested in implementing a search engine script that is "free" under the "GPL" license, and since its a commercial site, I'm curious as to the legal issues involved in using such a script.

It says, "You must distribute Sitellite with the source code included, or make the source code available for download in a prominent location on your web site."

There's no way the client I'm working for will provide the code for this engine on their site -

but what do these guys mean by "you must distribute sitellite with the source code included"?

Your help would be great! I appreciate it - and thanks in advance.

[zooloo]

If your program was a download on a website then the source code should be there too.

If it's on a CD the source should be on the CD or available on a website.

"Open Source" means that the source code is available.

Otherwise it's "Freeware". ie: the program is without charge.

[kh44na]

Although this may seem like a stupid question - I apologize:

- where the heck am I supposed to put this source code? Tell people to "click here - if they wanna see it"?

[SeanW]

Heya,

If you *use* GPLed code for your site, you're under no obligation to produce source.

It's only if you *redistribute* the code that you have to make the source available. And by available, you can also say "$5 for a CD"

Sean

[dcrombie]

My understanding is that if you make changes to GPL code and someone requests a copy of the changes you have to provide it to them. If you're just using some open source code on your site then you're under no such obligation as the code is unchanged from the original source.

[SeanW]

My understanding is that if you make changes to GPL code and someone requests a copy of the changes you have to provide it to them.

It's more closely tied to redistribution than it is to modification... Everything in the licence states something along the lines of "modify and redistribute".

You can modify it for your own personal uses. From a community point of view, you should give back your changes, though.

It also is tied to source vs binary. If I download some software and compile it, I don't have any other restrictions. If I then offer a compiled binary on my site, I'm obligated to either offer the source, or a pointer to the source. If I make changes to the source and offer the resultant binary on my site, I am obligated to offer the source.

Personally, this is why I always use a BSD type licence whenever possible. As Theo De Raadt puts it,

In the BSD world, we believe in making available trap-less software which anyone can use for any purpose. Even if they wanted to put our operating system into baby mulching machines or cruise missiles. We expose no ethic except our own of transitive freedom in sharing. We make no demands except credit.

Sean

[kh44na]

Thank you for your input everyone

I appreciate it.