Questions tagged [distribution]
Use this tag if the question concerns the distribution of an object, package or notice to the developer or public community.
133
questions
0
votes
2answers
70 views
Copyleft licenses that do not mandate free distribution?
The GPL tries to guarantee that a piece of software, and all derivative versions of that software, will allow anybody to use, study, modify, and distribute the software however they choose.
I think ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
(L)GPL software on devices provided for internal use
As far as I understand, there can be issues with (L)GPL-licensed software in code-signing contexts where modified code is not allowed to run.
Now, suppose an organization (for example, a company or a ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
Selling / Providing Customers a Service on an Embedded Device with an Open Source OS
I have researched this question quite a lot on stackexchange but my thoughts are inconclusive, the different licenses involved and options by the distribution vendors are giving me a headache.
My ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
Using a GPL library in a separate module that's included with the main program
There's a GPL sound library I'd like to provide as an option in a game which will be released under MIT license. My plan is to create a generic, abstract audio interface in the engine, which can ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
LGPL and different architectures
I am in the midst of writing software using LGPL libraries, which will be part of an image for a device. Am I obliged to provide object files for different (micro)architectures than the device the ...
3
votes
1answer
82 views
Publishing code on github considered (re)distribution?
I wonder if publishing some code on github is considered a distribution.
According to this answer, it seems that it would be :
Yes, this is considered redistribution. If not what would?
Also, that ...
2
votes
1answer
159 views
Distribution of different oss libraries in the same zip file
within a project that involves distribution of software that will (on recipient side) then be flashed into a hardware component, i have to make the different libraries available under the same ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views
Free App and non free Pro app source code licensing model
I'm going to build an Android app under some open source license but I want to use this same app as a basis for a proprietary software in the future.
So I will have two softwares:
My Software
My ...
2
votes
1answer
41 views
How to donate a complete working project to the open source comunity?
I created a fully running application in Spring Boot that I like to share with the community of open source, so individuals can contribute to it and companies can use it.
I have few questions:
I'm ...
4
votes
2answers
66 views
Call GPL functionality from non-GPL interpreted code
I have code written in R, an interpreted language. The R interpreter and most R libraries are under the GPL. What are the limits upon my code, if I want to distribute it while keeping it proprietary ...
2
votes
1answer
42 views
Finding a license that prohibits distribution
I have some open-source things I’ve made, and I am trying to get a license that prohibits the redistribution of them. By this, I mean when I publish it to wherever I do, I don’t want to permit others ...
2
votes
0answers
165 views
Does importing a python package in my source code constitute redistribution of that package?
I wish to make a python package I have written publicly available on github as source code. I am being advised that I should add a NOTICE detailing all the third party packages that my code depends on....
1
vote
1answer
34 views
Do I have the right to the bundle that generate by / dependent on open-source libraries?
I created a project with the following structure:
The question is:
Do I have the right to the BUNDLE where I do not want clients to resell the BUNDLE they have bought?
Is it sufficient to include ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
Distribute GPL software in enterprise
I am being asked to deploy Notepad++ (a software distributed under GPL) in an enterprise which is a SaaS company. Before doing so, I want to make sure our users wouldn't be violating the license in ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
GPL code behind a registration form
My employer wants to publish a paper about software and make it open-source under the GPL, but they want to know who is interested and downloads it.
Is it legal to ask people to fill in a regular ...
4
votes
1answer
39 views
Combined distribution of open source binaries when used as program in a CLI-Script
I am planning on creating a rather small repo on github but I am not sure which license should I use. The project is basically a collection of bash, batch and powershell scripts. Those scripts invoke ...
21
votes
6answers
4k views
What is the standard practice when the developer does not want third party redistribution of a certain free and open source software?
I recently tried to build .deb package and a PPA for Droidcam (turns phone camera into webcam), and mentioned it in a related GitHub issue for feedback.
The developer replied
I am going to ask that ...
1
vote
1answer
74 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
91 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
73 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
34 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
40 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
252 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
157 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
730 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
165 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
154 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
59 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
225 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
543 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
226 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
63 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
118 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
121 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
176 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
215 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
200 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
703 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
61 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
55 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
43 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
54 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
602 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
78 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
60 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
628 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. ...
3
votes
1answer
114 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
147 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.
...
