[Discuss] Open source, apps, and money

[Derek Martin]

On Fri, Aug 03, 2012 at 04:46:40PM -0400, Mark Woodward wrote:
> On 08/03/2012 01:45 PM, Doug wrote:
> > I know that the GPL does not mean the software can
> >be used for free

Actually, while you may collect a fee for distributing your software
to your customers, the unmodified GPL does mean exactly that the
software can be used AND redistrubuted, for free:

  Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
  covered by this License; they are outside its scope.  The act of
  running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the
  Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on
  the Program (independent of having been made by running the
  Program).  Whether that is true depends on what the Program does.

  1. You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program's
     source code as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you
     conspicuously and appropriately publish on each copy an
     appropriate copyright notice and disclaimer of warranty; keep
     intact all the notices that refer to this License and to the
     absence of any warranty; and give any other recipients of the
     Program a copy of this License along with the Program.

Later paragraphs have similar language for executable code.
The next paragraph is where you (or your liscencee, or anyone in
posession of the code and accompanying GPL license) can get some
money:

     You may charge a fee for the physical act of transferring a copy,
     and you may at your option offer warranty protection in exchange
     for a fee.

But, the person you've sold the software to under the GPL is still
governed by the agreement, in which you explicitly gave them the right
to give the code to anyone they want, and as the first paragraph I
quoted says, RUNNING the program is not restricted by the GPL
whatsoever, and therefore anyone in posession of the code may compile
it and use it for free.  Moreover, they can give it away to anyone
they want, under the same terms.  That is what the GPL is for.

Also note that THEY can collect money for distributing your software,
but this in no way entitles you to receive money from them for doing
so.  If you're trying to profit from your software project, and
preventing people from using your software without paying you is a
concern of yours, the GPL is probably not what you want.  The GPL was
created to solve a very different problem, sort of the antithesis of
this one.

-- 
Derek D. Martin    http://www.pizzashack.org/   GPG Key ID: 0xDFBEAD02
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