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To: David Schwartz <davids@webmaster.com>
Cc: Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Monta Vista software license terms 
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 11 Feb 2003 14:11:36 PST."
             <20030211221137.AAA18793@shell.webmaster.com@whenever> 
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 09:00:58 +0100
From: Horst von Brand <brand@jupiter.cs.uni-dortmund.de>
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David Schwartz <davids@webmaster.com> said:

[...]

> 	But you don't need to distribute the rights to the Linux kernel 
> because already already has the rights to the Linux kernel.

Yes, because they got them from someone.

>                                                             And when 
> you say you "get sources .. under the GPL", you're implying that you 
> have to assent to the GPL to get sources, but you don't. The GPL is 
> not a shrink-wrap agreement and you don't have to assent to it just 
> to receive or use sources.

Right.

>                            There is no distribution issue because 
> everyone already has the right to possess and use every GPL'd work, 
> so there are no rights to distribute.

Maybe putting a binary up on FTP or giving it to you on a CD can't be taken
legally as agreeing to GPL, but I'd consider that rather far-fetched. AFAIU,
if I have a copyright on something I have the legal right to stop anybody
from using it against my will, a license is just an expression of what I
allow you to do. GPL is a license using copyright, it just gives everybody
the right to do as they please and only restricts redistribution.

In any case, IANAL. And I believe you aren't either, so this discussion is
irrelevant. Get a lawyer versed in this stuff to check out your theory.
-- 
Dr. Horst H. von Brand                   User #22616 counter.li.org
Departamento de Informatica                     Fono: +56 32 654431
Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria              +56 32 654239
Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso, Chile                Fax:  +56 32 797513
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