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Consult the GPL FAQ

Consult the GPL FAQ

Posted Apr 16, 2004 11:44 UTC (Fri) by dwalters (subscriber, #4207)
In reply to: Netfilter gets a GPL-enforcement injunction by tgb
Parent article: Netfilter gets a GPL-enforcement injunction

> So, in fact, you do have to give the code to anyone who asks for it.

See the official GPL FAQ on this subject here. It says that "Valid for any third party" means that anyone who has the offer is entitled to take you up on it. IANAL, but I think this means that only those in possession of the copy (and therefore also the written offer) are entitled to ask for the source code.

This requirement only holds if you did not ship the source code with the product. The reason for this requirement, by the way, is so that people who did not get the binaries directly from you can still receive copies of the source code, along with the written offer. The GPL FAQ puts it like this: "The reason we require the offer to be valid for any third party is so that people who receive the binaries indirectly in that way can order the source code from you."

I recommend everyone who isn't a lawyer, but who has any dealings with the GPL, to read the FAQ in full. If you think you already know it all, I challenge you to take the official GPL quiz here.


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