Michael Brown wrote:
When I asked that exact question of an account manager at a dog&pony show they did with Oracle at Redhat's main office, the response was that the SRPMs are GPL, but the binary distribution is not. AS was being licensed for one year at a time for a single computer at a time.
That's a tricky distinction to draw. The GPL forbids any restrictions on redistribution. Compiling GPL sources doesn't remove the GPL in the binaries.
Since in the reorganization to WS, ES and AS, RH has gone back to calling it Enterprise Linux, this may have changed. With AS2.1, they actually said that it was not Linux but had many features of Linux (at least part of the reason for this statement was because some of the SMP changes they made were not blessed, they may be at this point).
See the GPL. If you modify GPL source code, it's still GPL. So if you distribute the binaries, which are GPL, you must make the the source available, and cannot restrict redistribution of either. The only redistribution limits are:
1) Red Hat's tradmarks (like the ShadowMan logo, and the name)
2) non-GPL code included with the distro, like IBM's JVM.
Now, RHEN is not a GPL product. That's the support service you agree to. All Red Hat can do then is terminate your support contract.
Red Hat says that in the agreements:
https://rhn.redhat.com/network/sales/purchase/terms.pxt
3. End User License Agreement
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All of the software programs provided by means of the Red Hat Network (the "Software Programs") are individually written and copyrighted, and are subject to individual end user license agreements (each, a "EULA") that are applicable to the Software Programs. These EULAs are located in the source code to the software programs. You agree to review, and that you are subject to, each such EULA. Most of the EULAs permit you to copy, modify and redistribute the Software Programs, in both source code and binary code forms. Nothing in this Agreement limits your rights under, or grants you rights that supercede, any applicable EULA.
***
and http://www.redhat.com/licenses/rhel_us_2-1.html
Appendix 1
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As used herein, "EULA" means an end user license agreement, and "Software Programs" means, collectively, the individual Linux Programs, as defined below. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a modular operating system made up of hundreds of individual software components, each of which was individually written and copyrighted, and the EULA of each component is located in the source code for the component. Throughout this document the components are referred to as the "Linux Programs." Most of the Linux Programs are licensed pursuant to a Linux EULA that permits Customer to copy, modify, and redistribute the software, in both source code and binary code forms. With the exception of certain image files identified below, the remaining Linux Programs are freeware or have been placed in the public domain. Customer must review these Linux EULAs carefully, in order to understand its rights and to realize the maximum benefits available with Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Nothing herein limits Customer's rights under, or grants Customer rights that supersede, the terms of any applicable Linux EULA. Red Hat may provide Red Hat Enterprise Linux or other software or content by means of Red Hat Network or Red Hat Enterprise Network. Each software component has its own applicable EULA and all content is provided subject to its own licensing terms.
***
and 2 paragraphs later
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Red Hat Enterprise Linux itself is a collective work under U.S. Copyright Law. Subject to the trademark use limitations set forth below, Red Hat grants Customer a license in this collective work pursuant to the GNU General Public License.
***
So Red Hat says the _SOFTWARE_ is GPL. So I copy, modify, and redistribute according the the GPL. I've asked sales about it. waiting for a reply.
-Thomas
