On Thu, Feb 22, 2007 at 07:52:49PM -0600, John T. Hoffoss wrote: > On 2/22/07, Josh Paetzel <josh at tcbug.org> wrote: > > Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not > > covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act of > > running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program > > is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the > > Program (independent of having been made by running the Program). > > Whether that is true depends on what the Program does. > > Running a program is not covered by the GPL, you are correct. But > distribution (which by default takes place in a router, microwave or > otherwise) *is* covered. When a microwave is distributed with a stock > kernel with a closed-source driver, that's fine. If the author > modifies the stock kernel though, they must distribute their > modifications in some form. Again, addressed with backup sources by > others already. They don't have to distribute the source. They have to *offer* in writing to distribute the source when they distribute the binaries. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLRequireSourcePostedPublic Yes, it is a minor distinction, but an important one when you are talking about things like microwaves. Personally, I wouldn't bother to ask for the source in that case because I don't have the equipment needed to update the firmware on a microwave. For routers or DVRs, though, looking at the source has more appeal. -- Jim Crumley |Twin Cities Linux Users Group Mailing List (TCLUG) Ruthless Debian Zealot |http://www.mn-linux.org/ Never laugh at live dragons |