Re: Monta Vista software license terms

[Chris Friesen]

Nilmoni Deb wrote:

> 	Its the last sentence that is of concern. Does this mean no 3rd
> party (who is not a customer) can get the GPL source code part of their
> products ? Seems like a GPL violation of clause 3b in
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html .

I include clause 3 in its entirety below, emphasis mine:

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.)

Note that you only have to do one of the three.  If you ship source with 
the product, you're covered.  If you don't ship source, you can ship a 
written offer for the source.  In this case, the written offer can be 
redeemed by *any third party*.  Finally, if you're noncommercial you can 
use the third option.

Chris

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