Re: Dangerous precedent being set - possible serious violation of the GPL
On Sat, 27 Nov 1999, Seth David Schoen wrote:
> You might be forgetting that the product called "Corel Linux" is a
> collection of software containing both proprietary software _and_ free
> software. Because this collection contains proprietary software from
> Corel, you do not have the legal right to redistribute it without
> Corel's permission.
Good point; I DO have the legal right to distribute the parts of it that
ARE free.
> Corel probably _would_ consider people redistributing their proprietary
> software without their permission "illegal", "immoral", or "against their
> rules".
...and good for them...
>
> The GPL says that
>
> In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program
> with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of
> a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under
> the scope of this License.
>
> Corel Linux is an aggregation of software from several sources, including
> Debian and Corel. Not all of this software is covered by the GPL, or even
> by any free software license. For this reason, and this reason only, Corel
> might object to redistribution of the entire project.
>
> There is no indication anywhere, in the Corel Linux EULA or in any statement
> from Corel, that Corel objects to the free and unlimited redistribtion of the
> portions of Corel Linux that are free software.
So let's see what happens if we create a Corel Linux workalike by:
A: Downloading Corel Linux
B: Ripping out all the non-free software parts and
C: Replacing them.
then...
D: Publicizing this heavily.
--
= Jon "Caspian" Blank, right-brained computer programmer at large =
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