Questions tagged [distribution]
Use this tag if the question concerns the distribution of an object, package or notice to the developer or public community.
116
questions
1
vote
1answer
70 views
What legal considerations needs to be made for distributing a commercial/closed source software which utilizes LGPLv2 open source libraries?
I am developing a Java web application which utilizes Open source libraries with LGPLv2.0 and v2.1 libraries without any modification. For distributing this software commercially, what legal ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
Is it required to disclose proprietary / closed source code of commercial software which utilizes open source CDDLv1.0 libraries?
I am working on a Java server side solution utilizing open source libraries (using jars ‘as-is’) released under CDDLv1.0 license. The open source libraries is either statically or dynamically bound in ...
2
votes
1answer
62 views
Uploading to online service and distribution
Would uploading a file, a program, a script, etc. to an online storage service without sharing it, count as distributing the file to the online service?
More specific cases of interest:
If I backup ...
4
votes
1answer
30 views
Extending a GPL website by web service plugin
Please consider this situation.
A company modifies a GPLed website X and adds a feature to accept plugin.
Then develops a new feature as API service Y and publishes it separately. Service Y needs to ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Dependencies installed via package managers
Is there any difference to provide for instance a npm package.json or to provide all the packages source code in the source code repository of the software project? What's the impact if the project ...
2
votes
2answers
44 views
GPL v2: what does “distribution” mean in terms of cloud apps?
I'm thinking about writing a cloud app that uses wasm-git. wasm-git is licensed under GPL v2.
Since wasm-git runs in the browser, users of my cloud app would get a copy of wasm-git when they open my ...
2
votes
1answer
57 views
NDA over code that includes GPLv3 headers
Suppose there is a piece of software that uses GPLv3 headers, but the code that includes said headers is not under the GPLv3 itself, but rather a GPL-compatible license, say MIT Expat. Thus the binary ...
4
votes
1answer
280 views
Does a program need to show the open source license (Apache 2.0) of its components?
The Apache 2.0 license defines (emphasis added):
"Work" shall mean the work of authorship, whether in Source or Object form, made available under the License, as indicated by a copyright notice ...
3
votes
3answers
125 views
Releasing the source code of a premium feature for another open program
If I use a compiled program/non compiled source code which is under a license that everyone has the rights do use and sell (Eg: GPL) and no one can deny any person to use or sell it and then I want to ...
0
votes
2answers
141 views
Why don't we have a full-fledged alternative for the Android OS?
Why can't we have a mobile operating system and applciation store that is independent of any country's current political views? It would be an alternative of Google's Android OS. Or if it exists, why ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
MIT-licensed app without the source code
There is one very cool app on GitHub, under the MIT license. However, for some reason, the author has not published the source code, only binaries.
Is it allowed under the MIT license to provide ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Any lasting licensing implications from previously used, subsequently dropped library dependencies or usage licenses?
I will start off with this excerpt from Qt's legal faq to give some context:
3.13. I have started development of a product using the open source version of Qt, can I now purchase a commercial ...
2
votes
1answer
110 views
Distribution of Python modules
I've been thinking about create a couple of python-based applications and distributing them for free.
My applications will be only for Windows since it is the system I use personally. What I am ...
4
votes
1answer
81 views
How does Javascript minification process comply with requirements of opensource licenses
Let's take React framework for example.
During the minification process, all the code is modified and put in a single minified file also stripped of licenses.
As far as I understand, as required by ...
4
votes
1answer
67 views
Using Oracle VirtualBox Base Package for Commercial Applications
The VirtualBox Base Package is licensed under the GNU General Public License, version 2.
My company is distributing software that runs on an Ubuntu system within a VirtualBox VM. We have not modified ...
3
votes
1answer
44 views
Need help understanding GNU LGPL terms
I'm a new developer and recently have to work on project where I guess using arduino lib will be easy, because writing my own library will be a lot more time consuming. This isn't a mass production ...
2
votes
1answer
86 views
Community and enterprise editions of LGPL software
Red Hat has community and enterprise editions of it's application server. WildFly is licensed under LGPL. JBoss EAP is based on WildFly and costs a lot of money.
How is it possible that they don't ...
21
votes
5answers
7k views
GPLv3 forces us to make code available, but to whom?
I've read that GPLv3 imposes that we should make the source code of our app available.
But, available to whom?
In case we sell our GPLv3 software, does it mean we have to make it available to those ...
2
votes
1answer
78 views
Distributing GPLv2 code and ENTIRELY SEPARATE closed-source software (no interaction between them)
Do I have to GPL all software in a .deb package just because it contains some GPL(v2 in this case) code, even if these things have nothing to do with each other except being distributed in
the same ...
4
votes
1answer
90 views
Are Creative Commons licenses suitable for distributing an Excel spreasheet?
I'd like to distribute in a rather open way an Excel spreadsheet I am the creator of, but would like to provide a framework regarding the way this piece of work could be used and re-distributed. In ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
GPL/LGPL license: convey source code by linking to original author
Scenario: you distribute your program in binary format, and it uses a GPL or LGPL library. In addition to the required conditions on your part of the application, you must offer a way to obtain the ...
4
votes
1answer
154 views
What if I don't receive a copy of the GPL license?
I've downloaded the source for Linux device driver from the manufacturer's website. The source was included in a zip file, so no source control was involved. Unfortunately, the driver source was ...
3
votes
2answers
283 views
is it safe to use GPL 2.0 licensed libraries in my commercial container image?
I am building some docker image which is using alpine:3.10 as base image. When I scan my built image for any license violation using whitesource scanner, I am getting lot of libraries which are ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views
Does the GPLv3 license on my project require me to also include the source code of a tool to edit the icon of my executable file?
Godot requires a tool called rcedit to change the application icon. According to my understanding of GPL, I believe I have to include the source code of Godot with the releases of my game. Do I also ...
3
votes
1answer
40 views
Licensing: distributing open source components with your PyPI package
I have developed a Python package capable of generating a web page with some embedded tables and figures. The web page employs some open source components (namely Angular.js, Bootstrap and font-...
2
votes
1answer
37 views
If I bundle an open source DLL with my GPLv3 software, how do I properly handle supplying the source of that DLL?
I am including a copy of SDL2.dll (https://www.libsdl.org/download-2.0.php) in my open source project. Do I need to also include the source code of SDL in my repository, add a document with the URL to ...
1
vote
0answers
41 views
Do I need to include license files/info from android ndk toolchain into my library?
So I have a native library for Android that is built with ndk17.
Do I need to include license information from android toolchain with my library package?
3
votes
1answer
518 views
License to disallow distribution in closed source software, but allow exceptions made by owner?
Is there a license (similar to the GNU v3 software license) that forbids the usage of an open-source software in closed-source software, but except parties that receive approval by the original owner (...
-1
votes
1answer
64 views
Proprietary licensing combinations of non-copyleft software
Premise: Software Z (distributed as binary) includes software Y (MIT) and software X (MIT).
Does Software Z need to disclose it's inclusion of Y and X?
Software Z can be distributed under a ...
3
votes
1answer
52 views
GPL v3 - Does freely distributed software that includes GPL licensed code also require sharing source?
The Arkansas Division of Land Surveys shares all of their documents as pdfs with password protection, and they have a little viewer app that has the password built in:
https://surveyor.arkansas.gov/...
4
votes
1answer
255 views
Can I comply with Apache 2.0 license by adding the license text in the binary file?
I'm using an Apache 2.0 licensed library in my closed source software. Let's say I include the Apache 2.0 text file as a "const string" variable in my C code and make sure it makes it to the binary. ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
A small Go library under GPLv2, rewrite it under modified BSD
Go is using a modified BSD license. I would like to use the same license for some projects, most parts / libraries will be published under an open source license, but clients do demand some of the ...
4
votes
1answer
120 views
Is there a license that “forces leaks”, so to speak?
I am looking for a license that "forces leaks", so to speak. What I mean by that is:
A copyright holder must convey a copy of derivatives works they made using the license to anyone who requests it.
...
1
vote
0answers
56 views
How to update GPL licensed software distributed to a customer without providing the source code on each update?
This question extends my last question about 'How to comply with the GPL when providing auto updates'.
Problem description:
I want to distribute a Debian VM with Debian based docker containers, so ...
5
votes
1answer
116 views
How to comply with the GPL when providing auto updates?
Problem description:
I want to distribute a Debian VM with Debian based docker containers, so far I would just extract the entire source code after the VM is configured and provide the source code on ...
4
votes
1answer
543 views
Can I include license text in my project's README and not add a license file?
When I add a license to a software project I place the text of the license in a file named LICENSE.md in the root of the repository.
Now I want to include the license text in the README.md instead ...
3
votes
2answers
299 views
Selectively distribute a GPL program
Imagine that there is this software, FooBar, which is under the GPLv2 license. Then, in one of your unproductive Saturday afternoons, you modify, let's say a new module, that is a derivative work of ...
1
vote
1answer
105 views
How does Linux with pre-installed binaries comply with binary redistribution license clause?
If I download Linux that comes with a pre-installed program in a binary form licensed under, let's say, BSD 2-clause, how does it comply with the following:
Redistributions in binary form must ...
7
votes
2answers
218 views
Requiring personal info for source code
I bought a Samsung laptop recently. The model is shipped with TCL (Tiny Core Linux) with BusyBox in it. Circumstantial evidence suggests that TCL is modified to meet Samsung's requirements. I found ...
4
votes
2answers
110 views
How to license programming assignments permissively, while preventing solutions from being published?
I have created a few practical programming assignments for a bachelor's course in computer science, which I'm quite proud of. I'd love for my work to be used anywhere, and for any future teachers or ...
3
votes
2answers
124 views
Should I distribute the source code of the build tools for a Linux distribution
If I want to distribute a GNU/Linux distribution as a .iso, I must :
Distribute the source code of the Linux kernel
Distribute the source code of any GPL (or some other license) package included in ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
What means “distribution” for Open Source licenses (MIT/GPL)?
What means "distribution" for Open Source licenses MIT and GPL?
Is the client side code running on user's browser "distribution" for these licenses?
6
votes
1answer
543 views
NDA with GPL software: can the author decide how/when to disclose?
The GPL FAQ states that is not permitted to sign NDAs when distributing software, as it would be a violation of the redistribution freedom. Let A be an entity that develops a feature on top of an ...
3
votes
1answer
462 views
What is the reasoning behind the FSF's interpretation of the SIL OFL?
On the FSF's page on "Various Licenses and Comments about Them", they state that "you must redistribute [software licensed under the OFL] bundled with some software, rather than alone", but that "a ...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
How to prevent integration with malware and virus of open source software in compiling section?
In every open source software community, there is a small group which pay effort on compiling and packaging open source software.
As a advantage of open source software, everyone can read the source ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Distribution and display at fairs / exhibitions
My question is simple: is displaying an unreleased product containing open source software at an exhibition considered distribution?
In particular, I am concerned about GPL obligations. If the ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
Is selling a cloud service based on a Docker image considered distribution from GPL's viewpoint?
I have read some topics about GPL, Docker images and distribution.
As far as I understand you have to provide the source code of all GPL licensed programs within a Docker image but not your own ...
7
votes
1answer
139 views
DCMA Takedown Notice received for distributing software licensed under Apache 2.0
A browser plugin was removed from one of the app stores last year as it had stopped working, and the author was no longer maintaining it in favor of their standalone desktop apps. I preferred using ...
3
votes
1answer
263 views
Does an application linking to an unmodified LGPL-3 library need to be debugger-friendly?
I currently work on a proprietary, closed-source software suite, which is distributed to customers as part of a larger package (including various hardware and services).
The software suite uses LGPL-...
0
votes
3answers
68 views
Where is an Open Source repository required to be hosted?
Where is OS software required to be available at?
If I didn't want to use GitHub or Bitbucket, can I simply put it on my website? Where does the code have to reside in order to meet OS licensing?
...
