From: Shawn Hargreaves Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp Subject: Re: A simple stupid question about COPYRIGHTS Date: Sun, 17 Aug 1997 10:31:45 +0100 Organization: None Distribution: world Message-ID: References: <33F61267 DOT 5B12 AT softavenue DOT fi> NNTP-Posting-Host: talula.demon.co.uk MIME-Version: 1.0 Lines: 35 To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp Precedence: bulk Christian Lorenz-Wende writes: >Now, assuming I'd sell programming manuals (which I have >written myself) to ordinary people (in Finland (EUROPE!)), >and included the DJGPP compiler to the package, would I >violate your copyrights? DJGPP is distributed under the terms of the GNU Public License, which can be found in the file "copying" that is included with djgpp. Basically you are free to redistribute it, but must either include full source code or a written offer to supply the source on request. And obviously you must include a copy of the GPL with your distribution... > I guess any kind of commercial distribution of the DJGPP >is forbidden, Actually, that isn't the case! The folks at the FSF use an interesting definition of the term "free". Quoting from the GPL: When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this service if you wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things. In fact, if you buy the sources to something like GCC or Emacs directly from the FSF, they charge a very hefty chunk for it! So there is no problem with commercial redistribution, as long as you can find someone willing to pay you for it... -- Shawn Hargreaves - shawn AT talula DOT demon DOT co DOT uk - http://www.talula.demon.co.uk/ Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament.