Re: Linksys WRT54G and the GPL

[Frank Cusack]

On Sun, Jun 08, 2003 at 10:32:52PM -0700, David Schwartz wrote:
> Including the source with the product would be insufficient to meet the GPL
> requirements. They would have to offer the source (or a written offer to
> obtain the source for no more than the cost of physically copying it) to
> everyone who downloaded their software from their web site. The GPL is quite
> clear that the source code offer must be made to anyone to whom the object
> code is distributed. (The program must be accompanied by the offer.)

No, a source code *offer* must be made to anyone, period.

Section 3(b) of GPLv2 says "Accompany it with a written offer ...  to give
any third party ... [the] source code".

If the source code is actually distributed with the object code, then
they need only make it available to those who obtain the object code.
Of course those folks are free to redistribute to anyone, if they want.

/fc