Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 175 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Visit Stack Exchange

  7. current community

    your communities

    more stack exchange communities

    company blog
Open Source Beta

Questions tagged [distribution]

Use this tag if the question concerns the distribution of an object, package or notice to the developer or public community.

23 questions
info Newest Frequent Votes Active Unanswered
29
votes
3answers
1k views

Do I really need to include a licence file for common licences like GPL or MIT?

The GPL3, for example, says: Conveying Verbatim Copies. You may convey verbatim copies of the Program's source code as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and ...
19
votes
1answer
2k views

Are all docker images free (i.e. GPL)?

Looking at the GPLv2 FAQ. I'd like to incorporate GPL-covered software in my proprietary system. Can I do this?. Since, any typical Linux distribution base image contains a variety of GPL-licensed ...
58
votes
5answers
20k views

Can I use GPL libraries in a closed source project if only the output is distributed?

If I create a closed source application which uses some GPL licensed libraries but don't actually distribute the software, only its output, can I keep the software closed sourced? Specifically, I am ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views

Can I distribute unmodified GPLv2 binaries without the source code?

If I distribute someone else's unmodified GPLv2 software as a part of my product, what obligations do I have regarding source code distribution? Do I have to host the source independently and ...
8
votes
2answers
214 views

Distributing an operating system DVD bundling proprietary and GNU-GPL software?

Wikipedia seems to imply that Turbolinux bundles proprietary codecs. More generally, under what conditions is it OK to mix proprietary and GNU-GPLv3 software into an operating system, and distribute ...
7
votes
1answer
189 views

If a client sends me GPL'ed code, has it been distributed/conveyed to me?

A client has sent me GPL'ed code to work on for them. This code has not been publicly released, so there is no way for me to obtain it - other than directly from this client. Is this considered ...
11
votes
1answer
405 views

Are there any GPL like licenses for Apple App Store?

GPL software is not allowed onto the Apple App Store. The FSF shows how the GPL2 is not compatible with the App Store terms of service. Along the same lines, we'll be talking about GPLv2 ...
12
votes
2answers
440 views

Can I leave out parts of a CC BY-ND licensed work when distributing it?

I want to redistribute a work licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0. The license summary says about ND (NoDerivatives): If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the ...
12
votes
3answers
1k views

Why do some GNU distributions with a Linux kernel convey GPL software online without providing source code?

I have noticed that some groups or organizations convey the GPL software without the source code. Such examples are: https://sourceforge.net/projects/serbian2014/files/Download/ as Serbian GNU/Linux ...
7
votes
1answer
194 views

Can I redistribute BSD software under GPL with no changes?

If GPL and BSD code are combined in a piece of software, the entire work comes under GPL but its BSD portions can still be obtained under that license. What if the size of the GPL portion is exactly ...
34
votes
6answers
2k views

Is it possible to close an open source project?

If yes, what are the consequences of Open Source projects being discontinued, if it's done by a large organization? As per this post, the older version of project can still be used under the same old ...
19
votes
4answers
1k views

Is the Mozilla Public License compatible with Apple's App Store?

I'm planning on open-sourcing an application soon, and I've settled on either GPLv3 or the Mozilla Public License 2.0, as this application has a massive community surrounding it, and I still want ...
7
votes
2answers
540 views

Are there examples of proprietary software that functionally depends on copylefted software?

This question is a follow-up on: Are there examples of proprietary software that functionally depends on free software? Please note that this is not a duplicate, as "copylefted" (and some more, see ...
6
votes
2answers
951 views

Using GPL or LGPL licensed framework for web application

I am developing a web application which streams videos. For the frontend I intend to use the richfaces framework for jsf. That framework is licensed under the LGPL v2. Does that mean that I have to ...
13
votes
2answers
793 views

Is putting a page with javascript in it considered a redistribution

Imagine, I published a page on the web. It contains some javascript code, which uses open source library. Is it in general considered redistribution? On one hand, it's a redistribution. You put code ...
8
votes
2answers
2k views

If the copyright-owner claims his works to be open source, do they have to release the source somewhere?

The copyright-owner can choose any license they wish to. But if they decide to choose an open source license (lets say Apache 2), how much do they have to conform to the license? Especially, do they ...
7
votes
2answers
195 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
57 views

Does CC BY-ND 4.0 allow distribution of parts?

According to Can I leave out parts of a CC BY-ND licensed work when distributing it?, it’s not allowed to distribute only parts of a work licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0. In CC BY-ND 4.0, it says under ...
5
votes
1answer
62 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
196 views

Can I forbid distributing my open source project for less money than I do?

This question is partially inspired by How is selling FLOSS packages for monetary compensation a viable strategy? After reading that question and some of its answers, I was left wondering if there ...
4
votes
3answers
454 views

Can I force additional notices in my open source project?

Answering a question here put me in a drawback. In Open Source projects, it's clear that copyright notices shall be retained, especially when they contain copyleft and share alike clauses. However, ...
4
votes
1answer
422 views

What is the difference between a license, and an EULA when forking a project?

A open software license generally outlines what conditions that a fellow software developer must follow in respect to the original project, be it someone who is plain out of the blue looking at it, ...
0
votes
1answer
144 views

Is it possible to distribute source of gpl3 Android app with email?

Is it ok if I put an email address in "About" of application, and every user who asks for the source code emails me and I send him/her by email? It’s an Android application and I will distribute it ...