[Info-vax] OT(?): Linux: developed by corporates. *NOT* developed by unpaid volunteers.

[John E. Malmberg]

On 3/30/2015 2:34 AM, David Froble wrote:
> John E. Malmberg wrote:
>> On 3/29/2015 2:40 PM, David Froble wrote:
>>>
>>> But I had the very strong impression that the code under the GPL license
>>> could not be sold.  Am I wrong?
>>
>> Yes.
>>
>> You can sell the code under the GPL license.  You must provide to the
>> customer the source code either directly or available as a download
>> site for some period of time as specified in the license details.
>
> Does this apply to code you've written, or to all code under the GPL
> license?

All code under the GPL.  Note that many Linux Distributions contain some 
non-GPL code in them, so you have to separate it out.

 > I have a hard time understanding being able to take what
 > others have provided as free, and charging customers for that code.

It is allowed.  Instead of posting ported GPL code on sourceforge, I 
could make it a pay for download somewhere else.  I could not stop 
anyone else from making it a lower cost or free download to compete with 
me though.

Think of it this way.  If I were the only source of compiled a GPL 
package built for VMS that was needed for a niche, but profitable 
market, then I could charge for it.  My customers, who after paying me 
my fee, could make my port free, but why should they?  That could be 
helping a competitor, and it could cause me to stop supporting a product 
that they need.

It could be way more expensive for them to hire their own person to port 
that package.


Most of the time the sellers of GPL code are selling either additional 
non-GPL content, advanced access to tested GPL bug fixes, or other 
support services.

But yes, some are just selling for profit what you can download for free.

Regards,
-John