This is my original email to Richard Stallman
This is part of the Free Software as Lego Article.
From: Steve Parker
To: rms@gnu.org
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 15:32:09 +0000
Subject: Clarification of GPL for user article
Mr Stallman,
I am not a journalist, no great programmer, but a user of Free Software.
I am writing an article comparing and contrasting Free Software with Lego,
the children's toy based around small plastic interconnecting bricks.
I feel that the Open Source movement have made unclear to many people what
free software is all about, and that this analogy is a new and relevant way
to express the principles of Free Software to these people, and to others.
I would like to take a moment of your time, if you could spare me some, in
order to make this article as accurate as possible.
I attach a draft of the abstract for your interest. I would be interested in
your views on this angle.
The article is intended to be published at
http://steve-parker.org/articles/lego.shtml
The writing of this article has brought up again for me a question regarding
the GPL, to which I hope you will provide me with an answer, both for my own
curiosity, and to ensure the accuracy of the article.
My query is about the modification and non-distribution of GPL software. I
shall, if I may, give two similar example scenarios:
Scenario 1) I modify GPL code - eg emacs - to suit my own needs, purely to
use the modified binary on my own system. I never intend, and never do,
distribute this in any form.
My own interpretation of the GPL is that I am free to do this.
Would you also see this as a morally acceptable use of GPL code?
Would this view be the same if by distributing the code I would weaken my
commercial prospect (eg, competitors could glean information about my
business practices, security configuration, etc, from the modified code)?
Scenario 2) I modify GPL code - eg a CGI library - to suit my own needs for
use on a publicly-available web server. This code is being run, by the
general public, on my web server. Should I, in this case, make the code
available? Under the GPL, must I?
I thank you for your valuable time,
Regards,
Steve Parker
steve@steve-parker.org
http://www.steve-parker.org/
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