*BSD News Article 89492


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From: Axel Boldt <boldt@math.ucsb.edu>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.networking,comp.os.linux.advocacy,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy,comp.os.os2.advocacy
Subject: Re: GPL
Date: 17 Feb 1997 17:25:25 -0800
Organization: Univ of California at Santa Barbara, Dept of Mathematics
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f e l l o w s d @ c s . m a n . a c . u k (Donal K. Fellows) writes:

> If the manufacturer wants to use GCC and makes a modification to GCC
> itself, then those mods must be made freely redistributable or the
> use/redistribution of GCC is illegal. 

No. They can make a modification and *use* the modified gcc all they
want. They are free to license and copyright the output of this
modified gcc in any way they choose. All they are required to do under
the GPL is to add a prominent notice to gcc saying that they made
changes. They *need not* make the modified gcc available to
anyone. They can keep it secret; they simply cannot *distribute* their
secrets. If they want to *distribute* their modified gcc (in plain
English: give it to somebody else), then they have to put it under the
GPL and they have to make sure that the recipient has access to
source.

In short: what you do in the privacy of your own home is none of GPL's
business. This is different from other software licenses, which
actually restrict your private actions.

Everybody please read the GPL now.

Axel