[Gllug] [OT] Selling GPL

- Tethys tethys at gmail.com
Mon Dec 3 15:59:13 UTC 2007


On Dec 3, 2007 3:47 PM, Stephen Nelson-Smith <sanelson at gmail.com> wrote:

> Incidentally, this raises a puzzling question in my mind.  In what
> sense is software ever released or licensed?  If I knock something
> together on  the train, am I obliged to release its source code right
> away?

I suggest sitting down and reading the GNU GPL. It's quite a
straightforward document, written in plain English. If you still
aren't clear, then consult a solicitor.

But in essence, the GPL, and most other licenses, only impose terms
controlling the distribution of code. Thus if you don't pass your
changes on to another party, you're under no obligation to release the
code to anyone. In your case, you're quite at liberty to say to your
client "we'll give you the database access program/libraries/whatever
when you pay us X pounds". Remember, you're under no obligation to
release the code at this point. Only when they agree to that, and you
distribute the program to them do you then also have to release the
code to them (I'm assuming GPL here).

Tet

-- 
Perl is like vise grips. You can do anything with it but it is the
wrong tool for every job. -- Bruce Eckel
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