Linux-kernel mailing list archive 2000-23,: Re: [LINUX-ABIT] Re: ABIT -- GENTUS Linux Steals GPL CODE AGAIN!!

# Re: [LINUX-ABIT] Re: ABIT -- GENTUS Linux Steals GPL CODE AGAIN!!

Jesse Pollard (pollard@tomcat.admin.navo.hpc.mil)
Wed, 7 Jun 2000 17:00:56 -0500 (CDT)

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Benny Amorsen <amorsen@sscnet.com>:
> On 7 Jun 2000, Benny Amorsen wrote:
>
> > >>>>> "JS" == James Sutherland <jas88@cam.ac.uk> writes:
> >
> > JS> If the kernel I'm using drops off the face of the earth, but I
> > JS> continue distributing it, I need to provide the sources myself;
> > JS> providing a (working!) URL to the source I used should be
> > JS> adequate, though? If the URL I'm using disappears, I need to
> > JS> find/create another one, of course, but that shouldn't happen...
> >
> > Ok, take a look at the actual license. Any Linux system should contain
> > lots of copies of it.
>
> I have done.
>
> (snip)
> > Abit clearly did not do that.
> > As far as I know no such offer was given.
> > "Only for noncommercial distribution". What Abit is doing is not
> > noncommercial.
> >
> > This means that even if Abit distributed binaries compiled from
> > completely unmodified sources, or even distributed binaries copied
> > verbatim from say RedHat, they would still be in violation of the
> > license.
>
> I'm not talking about Abit specifically, my point is that the GPL is
> excessively restrictive. For example, it prevents me from distributing a
> pre-built emergency repair disk; WTF does this achieve??

No it doesn't - Mine is a binary only slackware install system, the
repair set works:

1. kernel boot disk (two kernel on it), I use "mount" to mount my current
root system so that I can fix boot blocks.
2. root disk of my choice - I use this to perform fsck, tar recovery
etc.

The complete source for these disks are included in the Slackware distribution.
I can even make use custom kernels to make a recovery disk. The source
is contained in the distribution. The HOTO create them is on the CD set too.

If I choose to download the entire distribution then I have it. If I were
making recovery disks, all I would have to do is include the source along with
the distribution of the software.

No restrictions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jesse I Pollard, II
Email: pollard@navo.hpc.mil

Any opinions expressed are solely my own.

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