Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 23:16:56 +0100 From: Erik Trulsson <ertr1013@student.uu.se> To: Alexander Leidinger <netchild@FreeBSD.org> Cc: ports-committers@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: cvs commit: ports CHANGES UPDATING ports/Mk bsd.port.mk ports/accessibility/linux-atk Makefile pkg-plist ports/archivers/stuffit Makefile ports/astro/linux-setiathome Makefile ports/audio/baudline Makefile ports/audio/linux-arts ... Message-ID: <20041231221656.GA53772@falcon.midgard.homeip.net> In-Reply-To: <200412311824.iBVIOAhM026389@repoman.freebsd.org> References: <200412311824.iBVIOAhM026389@repoman.freebsd.org>
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On Fri, Dec 31, 2004 at 06:24:10PM +0000, Alexander Leidinger wrote: > netchild 2004-12-31 18:24:10 UTC [snip] > Log: > Say hello to the linux mega patch, it consolidates our linux bits a > little bit and allows to proceed to a more recent linux_base from > a stable (read as: the major bugs should be ironed out or identified > and most linux ports build just fine) source. > > It also allows to ship 4.11 with a working linuxolator (the EOLed > linux_base is marked forbidden because of a security hole). > > This is a major update, please read UPDATING (and CHANGES if you > develop linux ports). > > Changes: [snip] > - remove RESTRICTED from some GPL licensed ports, even when we only > distribute binaries, we get them from official linux sites, so > anyone can grab them there if he needs to This sound highly dubious to me, and I really don't think it satisfies the requirements of the GNU GPL. The GNU GPL states (in part): 3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it, under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following: a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or, b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or, c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.) [...] If distribution of executable or object code is made by offering access to copy from a designated place, then offering equivalent access to copy the source code from the same place counts as distribution of the source code, even though third parties are not compelled to copy the source along with the object code. To my reading this means that if the FreeBSD Project wishes to distribute some GPL licensed binaries then the FreeBSD Project must also make available the exact sources from which the binaries where built. If the distribution of the binaries is by CD-ROM then the sources also need to be on that CD-ROM (or a written offer as detailed by the GPL.) The alternative is of course to not distribute the binaries in question. If some other entity not related to the FreeBSD Project does, or does not, make available the sources in question is completely irrelevant and in no way relieves the FreeBSD Project of its duty to provide the sources. In short: either all ports providing GPL'd binaries needs to get a RESTRICTED clause added (preventing distribution of the binaries), or somebody needs to track down all the sources from which the binaries were built and put the sources somewhere on the FreeBSD FTP site. Providing just binaries without having the sources at the same place violates the GNU GPL as far as I can tell. -- <Insert your favourite quote here.> Erik Trulsson ertr1013@student.uu.se
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