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diff --git a/busybox/docs/busybox.net/license.html b/busybox/docs/busybox.net/license.html deleted file mode 100644 index 14324f1..0000000 --- a/busybox/docs/busybox.net/license.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,135 +0,0 @@ -<!--#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" --> - |