On Thu, 22 Feb 2007, Josh Paetzel wrote: > How about cisco? Well, they don't distribute their software either. > They sell devices that run their software. Let's take a look at the GPL > itself: > > 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. > > How about the software that runs (choose your embedded device here) your > microwave. Can you get the source code for that, even though it's based > on linux? Of course not. The manufacturer of the microwave isn't > distributing their software, they are simply selling a device that runs > their software. That is a surprising interpretation. I don't agree with it. By selling microwaves, the seller is *distributing* *copies* of the software encoded within it. The format is irrelevant -- HDD, firmware, floppy, CD, etc. Thus, because selling microwaves involved distributing and copying the modified GPL software, and not just running the programs, the software on the microwave (or other embedded devices) is covered by the GPL. If you have a source that contradicts my claim, please share it. Mike