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diff --git a/busybox/docs/busybox.net/license.html b/busybox/docs/busybox.net/license.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..14324f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/busybox/docs/busybox.net/license.html @@ -0,0 +1,135 @@ +<!--#include file="header.html" --> + + +<h3>The GPL BusyBox license</h3> + +There has been some confusion in the past as to exactly what is +required to safely distribute GPL'd software such as BusyBox as +part of a product. To ensure that there is no confusion +whatsoever, this page attempts to summarize what you should do to +ensure you do not accidentally violate the law. + +<p> +<h3>Complying with the BusyBox license is easy and completely free.</h3> + +U.S. and International Law protects copyright owners from the unauthorized +reproduction, adaptation, display, distribution, etc of copyright protected +works. Copyright violations (such as shipping BusyBox in a manner contrary to +its license) are subject to severe penalties. The courts can award up to +$150,000 per product shipped without even showing any actual loss by the +copyright holder. Criminal penalties are available for intentional acts +undertaken for purposes of "commercial advantage" or "private financial gain." +In addition, if it comes to my attention that you are violating the BusyBox +license, I will list you on the <a href="/shame.html">BusyBox Hall of Shame</a> +webpage. + +<p> + +Nobody wants that to happen. Do everyone a favor and don't break the law -- if +you use BusyBox, you <b>must comply with the BusyBox license</b>. + +<p> +<h3>BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License</h3> + +BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License , which +is generally just abbreviated as the GPL license, or +just the GPL. +<p> +<a href="/products.html">Anyone thinking of shipping +BusyBox as part of a product</a> should be familiar with the +licensing terms under which they are allowed to use and +distribute BusyBox. You are advised to take a look over the + +<ul> +<li><a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">full text of +the GNU General Public License</a>, and +<li><a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html"> +Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU GPL</a> +</ul> +to be sure you (and your lawyers) fully understand them. + +<p> + +The following is a quick summary for the impatient. If you +carefully follow these steps, it will ensure that you are 100% +authorized to ship BusyBox with your product, and have no reason +to worry about lawsuits or being listed on the <a +href="/shame.html">BusyBox Hall of Shame</a> page. You will be +able to sleep peacefully at night knowing you have fulfilled all +your licensing obligations. + +<p> + +If you distribute a product, it should either be accompanied by +<b>full source for all GPL'd products</b> (including BusyBox) +and/or a <b>written offer</b> to supply the source for all +GPL'd products for the cost of shipping and handling. The source +has to be in its preferred machine readable form, so you cannot +encrypt or obfuscate it. You are not required to provide full +source for all the closed source applications that happen to be +part of the system with BusyBox, though you can certainly do so +if you feel like it. But providing source for the GPL licensed +applications such as BusyBox is mandatory. + +<p> + +<b>Accompanied by source</b> generally means you distribute the full +source code for all GPL'd products including BusyBox along with your +product, such as by placing it somewhere on a driver CD. Full source +code includes the BusyBox ".config" file used when your shipping BusyBox +binary was compiled, and any and all modifications you made to the +BusyBox source code. + +<p> + +<b>A written offer</b> generally means that somewhere in the +documentation for your product, you write something like + +<blockquote> +The GPL source code contained in this product is available as a +free download from http://blah.blah.blah/ +</blockquote> +Alternatively, you can offer the source code by writing +somewhere in the documentation for your product something like +<blockquote> +If you would like a copy of the GPL source code contained in this +product shipped to you on CD, please send $9.99 to <address> +which covers the cost of preparing and mailing a CD to you. +</blockquote> +<p> + +Keep in mind though that if you distribute GPL'd binaries online (as is often +done when supplying firmware updates), it is <b>highly</b> recommended that you +make the corresponding source available online at the same place. Regardless, +if you distribute a binary copy of BusyBox online (such as part of a firmware +update) you <b>must</b> either make source available online (i.e. +<b>accompanied by source</b>) and/or inform those downloading firmware updates +of their right to obtain source (i.e. <b>a written offer</b>). Failure to do +so is a violation of your licensing obligations. + + +<p> + +Some people have the mistaken understanding that if they use unmodified +GPL'd source code, they do not need to distribute anything. This belief +is not correct, and is not supported by the +<a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">text of GPL</a>. +Please do re-read it -- you will find there is no such provision. +If you distribute any GPL'd binaries, you must also make source available +as discussed on this webpage. + +<p> +<h3>A Good Example</h3> + +These days, <a href="http://www.linksys.com/">Linksys</a> is +doing a good job at complying with the GPL, they get to be an +example of how to do things right. Please take a moment and +check out what they do with +<a href="http://www.linksys.com/download/firmware.asp?fwid=178"> +distributing the firmware for their WRT54G Router.</a> +Following their example would be a fine way to ensure that you +have also fulfilled your licensing obligations. + + +<!--#include file="footer.html" --> + |