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Say we are ready to give link and credits to another party's code base.

Edits Based on comments:-

  1. Planning to give a link to download executable (hosted on a private server). If it has to be hosted on publicly downloadable link, that's also fine.
  2. GPL software is an separate executable and will be part a commercial solution
  3. The open source software I am using is licensed under GPL v2
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    The answer depends on the exact version of the GPL license. Can you add that information? Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 7:37
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    It may well also depend on how you distribute (do people download the build from you? do you send it out on DVD?) and whether you're doing it commercially or not, so it'd be helpful to know that also.
    – MadHatter
    Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 10:49
  • @Bart van Ingen Schenau, It is GPL version 2
    – nav1729
    Commented Nov 11, 2020 at 16:34
  • @MadHatter, Planning to give a link to download(hosted on a private server). If it has to be hosted on publicly downloadable link, that's also fine. GPL software is an separate executable and will be part a commercial solution
    – nav1729
    Commented Nov 11, 2020 at 16:57
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    You would want to amend your question with these information so that the question can stand on its own without a trail of comments :) Commented Nov 11, 2020 at 22:13

1 Answer 1

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GPLv2 is less nuanced than GPLv3 in terms of source code availability. It prescribes in s3 that

You may copy and distribute the Program [...] 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

So although you're only distributing a compiled copy of somebody else's source, you are still obligated to distribute source as well, either alongside the binary, or on demand. It'll probably be simplest if you put a link to the source alongside the download link for the binary.

You say also that the "GPL software is [a] separate executable and will be part [of] a commercial solution". I presume you're aware of the degree of separation required between the GPL software, and your software which invokes it, to avoid your software becoming a derivative work of the GPL code, and thus subject to a requirement to distribute under GPL. But if not, you should acquaint yourselves with the rules.

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  • When I provide source link, if the source link dies or down permanently. what will be the license obligation?
    – nav1729
    Commented Nov 24, 2020 at 2:46
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    @nav1729 the obligation is on you to provide the source. If you choose to do that with a link to someone else's source repository, then the onus is on you to continually confirm that it's still functional and dispenses the correct source. If it's not, then you're in breach of copyright. Honestly, it's just simpler to host it yourself.
    – MadHatter
    Commented Nov 24, 2020 at 6:36

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