From 8f3eb1dbab647e0ceca33f573da68ad3f2aa7086 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Eric Andersen Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 09:08:45 +0000 Subject: Add some details on exactly how to comply with the GPL -Erik --- docs/busybox.net/license.html | 108 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 108 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/busybox.net/license.html (limited to 'docs/busybox.net/license.html') diff --git a/docs/busybox.net/license.html b/docs/busybox.net/license.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8e0189 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/busybox.net/license.html @@ -0,0 +1,108 @@ + + + +

The GPL BusyBox license

+ +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. + +

+ +

+ +BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License , which +is generally just abbreviated simply as the GPL license, or +just the GPL. Anyone thinking of shipping +BusyBox as part of a product 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 + +

+to be sure you (and your lawyers) fully understand them. + +

+ +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 BusyBox Hall of Shame page. You will be +able to sleep peacefully at night knowing you have fulfilled all +your licensing obligations. + +

+ +If you distribute a product, it should either be accompanied by +full source for all GPL'd products (including BusyBox) +and/or a written offer to supply the source 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 manditory. + +

+ +Accompanied by source generally means you place the full +source code for all GPL'd products such as BusyBox on a driver CD +somewhere. + +

+ +A written offer generally means that somewhere in the +docs for your product, you write something like + +

+The GPL source code contained in this product is available as a +free download from http://blah.blah.blah/ +
+Or you can offer source by writing +somewhere in the docs for your product something like +
+If you would like a copy of the GPL source code in this product +on a CD, please send $9.99 to <address> for the costs of +preparing and mailing a CD to you. +
+

+ +Keep in mind though that if you distribute GPL'd binaries online +(as is often done when supplying firmware updates), you must +make source available online and inform those downloading +firmware updates of their right to obtain source. + +

+ +Additionally, 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 text of the +text of GPL. +Please do re-read it, and 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. + +

+ +These days, Linksys 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 + +distributing the firmware for their WRT54G Router. +Following their example would be a fine way to ensure you have +fulfilled your licensing obligations. + + + + -- cgit v1.1