From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (qmail 31412 invoked by alias); 18 Jan 2006 13:03:40 -0000 Received: (qmail 29376 invoked by uid 22791); 18 Jan 2006 13:00:10 -0000 X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-1.7 required=5.0 tests=AWL,BAYES_05,FORGED_RCVD_HELO X-Spam-Check-By: sourceware.org Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:03:00 -0000 From: Corinna Vinschen To: cygwin-licensing@cygwin.com Subject: Re: Licensing conditions: a question Message-ID: <20060118130004.GA12934@calimero.vinschen.de> Reply-To: cygwin-licensing@cygwin.com Mail-Followup-To: cygwin-licensing@cygwin.com References: <000001c61c1b$a6e3f5d0$500210ac@tcgp.dundee.ac.uk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <000001c61c1b$a6e3f5d0$500210ac@tcgp.dundee.ac.uk> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2i Mailing-List: contact cygwin-licensing-help@cygwin.com; run by ezmlm Precedence: bulk List-Subscribe: List-Post: List-Help: , Sender: cygwin-licensing-owner@cygwin.com X-SW-Source: 2006-q1/txt/msg00001.txt.bz2 On Jan 18 10:40, fergus wrote: > Please can you offer some guidance about the requirements of the supplier of > a piece of software that uses Cygwin to run? > > Circumstance 1 > ============== > > I am so good and kind that my software is free. Ask me for it and I'll give > it to you (or you can download it from my site) with instructions on how to > use it. By the way, it needs cygwin1.dll to run (and might or might not need > or at least benefit from other parts of the Cygwin provision, eg rxvt). > > Requirement 1 > ============= > > * make available the sources for the software Definitely. > and one of > > * invite interested parties to visit Cygwin to (minimal) get > cygwin1.dll or (more sophisticated) download and install some/ all of the > entire provision > > or > > * supply Cygwin setup and all sources on CD or DVD You have to provide the sources by yourself, using the same distribution mechanism as you provide for downloading the binaries, according to Section 3 of the GPL (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html). See also the GPL FAQ http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html, here especially http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#TOCSourceAndBinaryOnDifferentSites, second paragraph, which explains it nicely. We would obviously prefer if you just provide your application including source, and just require the user to download Cygwin from cygwin dot com to run your application, instead of providing your own version of the Cygwin DLL. > Circumstance 2 > ============== > > Almost identical to (1) except my software is not free: you can get it from > me in exchange for cash. As before, it needs cygwin1.dll to run (and might > or might not need or at least benefit from other parts of the Cygwin > provision, eg rxvt). > > Requirement 2 > ============= > > This is not at all clear to me. Is Requirement 2 unchanged from Requirement > 1 or does the supplier have to engage in a legal contract with Cygwin > authorities, and does this contract entail the transfer of funds from said > supplier to said Cygwin authorities? Taking cash for an application is not a problem. The problem is that in providing the binary whatever way you choose, the user has the right to get the sources the same way, too. You linked against the GPLed Cygwin DLL, so your application is also GPLed. Unless you purchase the Cygwin buy-out license from Red Hat, which is a fixed amount of money per project. For details you'd have to contact Red Hat, see http://cygwin.com/licensing.html. HTH, Corinna -- Corinna Vinschen Please, send mails regarding Cygwin to Cygwin Project Co-Leader cygwin AT cygwin DOT com Red Hat