Re: [tdf-discuss] Re: [Libreoffice] Proposal to join Apache OpenOffice

On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 10:05 PM, Greg Stein <gstein@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ben explained much of this already, but let's see if I can add some more:
>
> On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 14:46, plino <pedlino@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Greg Stein wrote:
> > > As Ben has explained later in this thread, you never had that right.
> > > Ergo, Apache has not removed any rights from You.
> > >
> > > This is why I think the statement "removes rights from people's
> > > contributions" is wrong, or there is some other right that I'm unaware
> > > of.
> >
> > GPL does say that if you make a derivative work and distribute it to someone
> > else, you must provide that person with the source code under the terms of
> > the GPL so that they may modify and redistribute it under the terms of the
> > GPL as well.
>
> The key thing being "that person". That person is most likely not You,
> the developer who is contributing to the software. Thus, You won't get
> those changes unless "that person" decides to pass them back to you.
>
> So you don't necessarily have a "right" to the code. You are relying
> on the goodwill of "that person" to help you out. Of course, they
> might not even know who you are. They might not care. They might not
> ever ask for the source code.

It's a common misconception. If a TV uses Linux (most LCD/LED TV use Linux),
you do not need to show evidence you bought one in order to ask for
the Linux source code.

See the GPLv2 (per Linux kernel) license text,
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.txt

“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,”

This misconception is mentioned and then explained often at the
http://gpl-violations.org/ mailing list.

The copyright holder ends up doing the suing for the source code in
order to make a manufacturer comply.
It is easier to do so, with more chances for success. Then, once the
manufacturer complies,
anyone can easily get the source code. And manufacturers do comply.

And talking about TVs, a certain manufacturer uses both copyleft and
permissive software
in order to make the firmware. While you get the source code of the
copyleft software, there is no
mention whatsoever for the permissive software.

Simos

-- 
Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to discuss+help@documentfoundation.org
Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
List archive: http://listarchives.documentfoundation.org/www/discuss/
All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted