Re: Win32Ada

[dennison@telepath.com]

In article <3654CC2B.63DD8D5D@easystreet.com>,
  Al Christians <achrist@easystreet.com> wrote:

> Here's something that I don't understand about the GPL:  Does it allow
> any restrictions on copying of GPL'd works?  Are any means by which I
> come into possession of a copy of GPL'd work legitimate, since copying
> is protected, or does the GPL allow the owner of a copy of a GPL'd
> work or its copyright holder to forbid me from copying it?  I suppose
> that this might be germaine to discussions of Ada, given the sometimes
> long lags between private and public releases of some GPL Ada tools.

Read the GPL yourself. From my reading, that would seem to be the case.
However, many methods of "acquiring" GPL'ed code might bring you into
conflict with your local and national penal codes. :-)

Lets give an example: Suppose we have a company named BDU who maintains a
really nifty GPL GUI builder. They continually make improvements, but only
publicly release these improvements at the pitifully slow rate of once a
year. Now suppose a crook who we will call CJ breaks into the offices of BDU
and copies the latest version of the GUI builder onto a floppy.

CJ is clearly guilty of breaking and entering. But does the GPL make it
illegal for him to possess that copy of the BDU GUI builder? Does the GPL
make it illegal for him to disseminate copies of the stolen version of the
GUI builder from his prison cell PC? No, and no.

How about civil court? Now let's suppose that BDU actually uses their
pitifuly slow release schedule to make themselves money. They give out
intermediate versions of their GUI builder to customers who pay BDU for
"support". Now word gets around on usenet about where to get CJ's stolen
intermediate version, and BDU looses half their "support" customers. Can they
sue CJ for the lost income?

Yes, you can always sue someone. But does the GPL protect CJ in court from
this charge? That's a bit foggy. The answer probably depends on the relative
quality of their laywers. :-)

--
T.E.D.

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