Fedora distributes code online under GNU GPLv2 paragraph 3a (source posted alongside and concurrent with binaries). Fedora also distributes binaries on CD and DVD (such as at trade shows) without necessarily handing out CDs and DVDs with the source code. For these instances I'd like to see a written source code offer per GPLv2 paragraph 3b. For Spins and derivatives, it would be nice for us to provide code under GPLv2 3b. This frees non-commercial Spins and derivatives from having to publish the (unchanged) source code on their own site or media - they can distribute under GPLv2 paragraph 3c and point at our 3b offer. This lowers the barrier to entry for Spins and derivatives. Under 3a, we can remove the source and binaries at any time from the download servers, because they were posted concurrently. We regularly remove outdated packages from updates/. However, if a Spin or derivative used a package from updates/, now they are on the hook to provide source (or a written offer for source, or a pass-through written offer for source), and they can't (currently) count on those packages to exist on Fedora's servers, so they can't use 3c (because Fedora isn't using 3b). I suggest using Fedora's Source Code Control System (currently CVS) as the canonical location for all source code, and suggest we build a web app that can generate versioned SRPMS on request based on CVS tags. Jef Spaleta has built a proof-of-concept[1]. This would let us remove SRPMS from the download servers at will, but upon request someone could still regenerate and download them. Here's some text I think could go into a README-SOURCE file inside the fedora-release package, to land on CD/DVD media. I haven't passed this by a lawyer, and we'd want to do that. Thoughts? Thanks, Matt [1] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Infrastructure/RFR/SRPMSFromVersionControl -- Matt Domsch Linux Technology Strategist, Dell Office of the CTO linux.dell.com & www.dell.com/linux Proposed Text of README-SOURCE: Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that showcases the latest in free and open source software. Fedora is always free for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. In accordance with the copyright licenses under which all Fedora software is licensed, you may obtain a complete machine-readable copy of the source code for each program. This offer is valid for at least three years from the date the software is released, and is applicable to anyone. There may be a nominal fee charged to you for the physical act of transferring a copy. You may obtain source code in several ways: * The canonical method is by downloading the source code via the Internet from Fedora's Source Control System. See http://fedoraproject.org for instructions. * The Source RPM package for each Binary RPM package is distributed concurrently on the Fedora download servers. See http://fedoraproject.org for a list of download servers. * Several organizations produce physical media containing the Fedora distribution and source code. A list of such organizations can be found at http://fedoraproject.org. * Should all of the above methods be unavailable to you, you may write to source-offer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and request the source for any package. -- fedora-devel-list mailing list fedora-devel-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-devel-list
