[Asterisk-Users] GPL Violations (Was: Advice on OS Choice)

[Jason Becker]

From: "Brian West" <brian at bkw dot org>:

-begin-

Personally if the copyright holder of a GPL software such as Asterisk or 
any GPL software allows someone to violate the GPL then allow them to 
skid by is setting a bad precedent for the GPL.  I think if you find a 
GPL violation you must stand up and make an example out of said company. 
  If a copyright holder doesn't standup and say something that only 
weakens the GPL's power. The GPL is still untested in the court system.

-end-

IANAL but you can make any changes you want provided you do not 
distribute/sell the changed software without making the changed code 
available. And AFAIK *Available* does not mean "ship with". Available 
can mean download, CVS or other means. Distribution is what triggers the 
GPL. And use within a company does not, I believe, constitute distribution.

I also think GPL violations are rare. But there was a highly publicized 
alleged violation by Cisco/Linksys:

http://lkml.org/lkml/2003/6/7/164

To be honest I don't even know the end of that story (if it has 
ended)... probably some bureaucratic snafu.

Regards,

-- 
Jason Becker
Director & CEO
Coalescent Systems Inc.
403.244.8089
www.voxbox.ca