At 17:35 26/02/2004, Mahesh T. Pai wrote:
> > internally a fail-over server with my own proprietary program with
> > both servers runnning MySQL, is it considered as an "internal
> > distribution" and then subject to the viral effect of the GPL?)
>
>This is a wrong assumption. the GNU GPL comes into play only when you
>distribute to other persons.
>
>Ok. Before you (or somebody else) starts of with `distribution within
>the organisation is distribution', please read GNU GPL, #3:-
>
>Comply with #3, and you have complied with the GPL. ;)
I know #3 of the GPL ;-)
But we are speaking of the interpretation of MySQL AB according to their
web site ( http://www.mysql.com/products/opensource-license.html ):
"Free use for those who never copy, modify or distribute. As long as you
never distribute (internally or externally) the MySQL Software in any way,
you are free to use it for powering your application, irrespective of
whether your application is under GPL license or not."
And BTW #3 does not solve the issue I raise of making an "internal"
distribution within my organisation of a proprietary software on top of
MySQL (viral effect or not?).
> > 2) Free Software means free like in free speech but also like in
> > free beer.
>`but also' is an error.
>Free software means free like in free speech. Period.
>You have the freedom to distribute it free of cost. But nobody compels
>you to do so. If you distribute a binary, of course, you have to give
>the source code too. But then, nobody compelled you to distribute the
>binary. Did they??
OSI definition point 1:
The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the
software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing
programs from several different sources. The license shall not require a
royalty or other fee for such sale.
and: http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/selling.html
So you can fix a price to your distribution. But this strategy is only
really valid once. For example, you can sell your software "distribution" 1
million under GPL. IBM (for example) buys it once (with or without the
sources as they have then the right to freely access to them in all the
cases). IBM can then freely redistribute it as part of their own
distributions. No more sales for you. Period (and bankrupcy for you if you
have no other revenue streams). So you have better to really well calculate
your first sale price!
If it was so easy to get license based revenue streams with an OSI license,
I am sure a lot of software vendors would already make it. Do you know a
lot of them? ;-)
Cheers
Stéphane
