124 lines
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124 lines
7.0 KiB
HTML
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<!Converted with LaTeX2HTML 95.1 (Fri Jan 20 1995) by Nikos Drakos (nikos@cbl.leeds.ac.uk), CBLU, University of Leeds >
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<TITLE>1.5 About Linux's Copyright</TITLE>
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<meta name="description" value="1.5 About Linux's Copyright">
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1916 HREF="node22.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1914 HREF="node8.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1908 HREF="node20.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1918 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1919 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1917 HREF="node22.html">1.6 The Design and </A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1915 HREF="node8.html">1 Introduction to Linux</A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1909 HREF="node20.html">1.4.8 Other applications</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<H1><A NAME=SECTION00350000000000000000>1.5 About Linux's Copyright</A></H1>
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<P>
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<A NAME=secintrogpl> </A>
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<P>
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<A NAME=428> </A>
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<A NAME=429> </A>
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<A NAME=430> </A>
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<A NAME=431> </A>
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<A NAME=432> </A>
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<A NAME=433> </A>
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Linux is covered by what is known as the GNU <em>General Public License</em>,
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or <em>GPL</em>. The GPL was developed for the GNU project by the Free Software
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Foundataion. It makes a number of provisions for the distribution and
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modification of ``free software''. ``Free'' in this sense refers to freedom,
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not just cost. The GPL has always been subject to misinterpretation, and we
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hope that this summary will help you to understand the extent and goals of
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the GPL and its effect on Linux. A complete copy of the GPL is included in
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Appendix <A HREF="node246.html#appgplnum">E</A>.
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<A NAME=437> </A>
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<P>
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Originally, Linus Torvalds released Linux under a license more restrictive
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than the GPL, which allowed the software to be freely distributed and
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modified, but prevented any money changing hands for its distribution and
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use. On the other hand, the GPL allows people to sell and make profit from
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free software, but does not allow them to restrict the right for others to
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distribute the software in any way.
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<P>
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First, it should be explained that ``free software'' covered by the GPL
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is <em>not</em> in the public domain. Public domain software is software which
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is not copyrighted, and is literally owned by the public. Software covered by
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the GPL, on the other hand, is copyrighted to the author or authors. This
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means that the software is protected by standard international copyright laws,
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and that the author of the software is legally defined. Just because the
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software may be freely distributed does not mean that it is in the public
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domain.
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<P>
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<A NAME=439> </A>
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GPL-licensed software is also not ``shareware''. Generally, ``shareware''
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software is owned and copyrighted by the author, but the author
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requires users to send in money for its use after distribution. On the other
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hand, software covered by the GPL may be distributed and used free of charge.
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<P>
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The GPL also allows people to take and modify free software, and distribute
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their own versions of the software. However, any derived works from GPL
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software must also be covered by the GPL. In other words, a company could
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not take Linux, modify it, and sell it under a restrictive license. If any
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software is derived from Linux, that software must be covered by the GPL
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as well.
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<P>
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The GPL allows free software to be distributed and used free of charge.
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However, it also allows a person or organization to distribute GPL software
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for a fee, and even to make a profit from its sale and distribution. However,
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in selling GPL software, the distributor cannot take those rights away from
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the purchaser; that is, if you purchase GPL software from some source, you
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may distribute the software for free, or sell it yourself as well.
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<P>
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This might sound like a contradiction at first. Why sell software for
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profit when the GPL allows anyone to obtain it for free? As an example,
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let's say that some company decided to bundle a large amount of free software
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on a CD-ROM and distribute it. That company would need to charge for the
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overhead of producing and distributing the CD-ROM, and the company may
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even decide to make profit from the sales of software. This is allowed by the
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GPL.
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<P>
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Organizations which sell free software must follow certain restrictions set
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forth in the GPL. First, they cannot restrict the rights of users who purchase
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the software. This means that if you buy a CD-ROM of GPL software, you can
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copy and distribute that CD-ROM free of charge, or resell it yourself.
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Secondly, distributors must make it obvious to users that the software is
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indeed covered by the GPL. Thirdly, distributors must provide, free of charge, the complete
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source code for the software being distributed. This will allow anyone who
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purchases GPL software to make modifications of that software.
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<P>
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Allowing a company to distribute and sell free software is a very good thing.
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Not everyone has access to the Internet to download software, such as Linux,
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for free. The GPL allows companies to sell and distribute software
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to those people who do not have free (cost-wise) access to the software.
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For example, many organizations sell Linux on diskette, tape, or CD-ROM
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via mail order, and make profit from these sales. The developers of Linux
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may never see any of this profit; that is the understanding that is reached
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between the developer and the distributor when software is licensed by the
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GPL. In other words, Linus knew that companies may wish to sell Linux, and
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that he may not see a penny of the profits from those sales.
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<P>
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In the free software world, the important issue is not money.
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The goal of free software is always to develop and
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distribute fantastic software and to allow anyone to obtain and use it.
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In the next section, we'll discuss how this applies to the development
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of Linux.
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<P>
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<A NAME=440> </A>
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<A NAME=441> </A>
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<A NAME=442> </A>
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<A NAME=443> </A>
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<A NAME=444> </A>
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<P>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1916 HREF="node22.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1914 HREF="node8.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1908 HREF="node20.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1918 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1919 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1917 HREF="node22.html">1.6 The Design and </A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1915 HREF="node8.html">1 Introduction to Linux</A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1909 HREF="node20.html">1.4.8 Other applications</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<BR> <HR>
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<P><ADDRESS>
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<I>Matt Welsh <BR>
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mdw@sunsite.unc.edu</I>
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</ADDRESS>
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</BODY>
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