Re: GPL respect check

Baptiste MATHUS wrote:
> Moreover, if I need to publish the source code
publicly, I
> need to be sure before maybe doing it . Also,
it's only a right to
> publish the source code, as you say?

If you legally obtained the software (in this case, paying
for it), then
it is your right to use and redistribute it within the terms
of the GPL.

> What if my company doesn't agree?
> From a legal point of view, aren't we forced at least
to publish the
> mantis source code modifications?

No. You can use and modify a GPL software for yourself. No
one may force
you to distribute your version, *but*, in the event of you
making it
available to others (either publicly on the Internet or
privately via a
product purchase), the source code *must* be made available
along with
the binary.

The main point is: if you distribute the final software, you
must
provide the source code as well, at no additional fee or any
other
requirement. If you are not distributing the software, you
are not
forced to publish anything.

Another thing that most people confuse, is that GPL does
not
automatically make your software freely distributable. If
you illegally
obtain a GPL software (even if it is publicly available by
other means),
for example, by hacking into the server where it is
privately hosted,
then you have no right to redistribute it, be the software
or its source
code. This makes GPL pretty viable as a commercial software
license for
licensing custom-made systems.

Best regards,

-- 
Juliano F. Ravasi ·· http://juliano.info/
5105 46CC B2B7 F0CD 5F47 E740 72CA 54F4 DF37 9E96

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another
candle."
    -- Erin Majors

* NOTE: To contact me directly, replace "ml" with
"contact" on my e-mail address.

* AVISO: Para me contatar diretamente, troque
"ml"
por "contact" no endereço de e-mail.


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