Bazaar Licenses

[Michael B. Trausch]

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009, John Arbash Meinel wrote:

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> Usher, Sean (Sean) wrote:
>> John,
>>
>> I blieve the worry is that we may need to make changes and possibly add
>> proprietary source code, and under GPL, we may be force to release that
>> code to the public.
>>
>> Sean
>>
>
> I'll note that Bazaar has a pretty good plugin system, which allows a
> lot of customization without actually modifying the core of bzr.
>

Also, changes to a GPL'd application do not need to be released unless you 
distribute the compiled binary.  Not that there really is one in the case 
of Bazaar -- it's (AFAIK, mostly) a Python application.

The GPL lets you redistribute changed copies internally without source, of 
course.  The license only kicks in if you release your modified Bazaar (or 
other GPL'd software) to the public in binary form -- then you must tell 
them how to acquire the source.

As an example:

  * You download and use gcc for your project.

  * You make modifications to gcc, say, to work for a different set of 
requirements.

  * You distribute this modified gcc as a compiled binary to your in-house 
(or contracted) development team.  You do not have to supply source code.

  * You distribute this modified gcc as a compiled binary on a public Web 
server for the public to use.  You must give information on how to get the 
corresponding source code, so that anyone that can download the binary 
made from the modified source code can also access the source code.

Does that clarify it?

 	-- MIke