how is it legal for novell to sell linux?

**phrostbyte** · February 6th, 2009

You pretty much can outright sell distros of Linux (even without support). It's just very hard to make this very profitable because most distros are free already. And yes you'd have to release the source code of any GPL things you modified or software that links to GPL code.

**lykwydchykyn** · February 6th, 2009

Originally Posted by yabbadabbadont

Correct, but then the end users can redistribute that code as long as it is licensed under the GPL. The company only has to make it available to customers, but they can't prevent the customers from sharing the GPL'd parts.

<insert obligatory IANAL>

Section 3b says you need to provide a written offer for source code good for 3 years to any third party. Although, admittedly, the issue of whether or not you need to provide code to just anyone or only legitimate customers is a bit of a grey area. I think RMS would insist that you need to give it to anyone who asks, because someone could legally acquire the binaries without necessarily being your customer (e.g., you buy something second-hand that has Linux on it). I don't think it's been tested in court, so it's kind of up to your own interpretation at this point.

**koenn** · February 6th, 2009

Originally Posted by lykwydchykyn

Section 3b says you need to provide a written offer for source code good for 3 years to any third party. Although, admittedly, the issue of whether or not you need to provide code to just anyone or only legitimate customers is a bit of a grey area.

refering to GPL v3 :

Conveying Non-Source Forms.

You may convey a covered work in object code (i.e. compiled, binary)form provided that you also convey the machine-readable Corresponding Source under the terms of this License, in one of these ways:
a) ...
b) ...
c)
d)

make publically available for download is only one of the possible ways to satisfy this requirement, and not an obligation. Giving your customer (and noone else) a cd with source code when he purchases your binaries, is just as valid.

Originally Posted by lykwydchykyn

... because someone could legally acquire the binaries without necessarily being your customer (e.g., you buy something second-hand that has Linux on it).

I don't think so.
If you acquire the binaries, you are entitled to the source, but the obligation to provide the source lies with the person you acquired the binaries from.

**Leo Dragonheart** · February 6th, 2009

Originally Posted by |{urse

It is legal because i said so. I told them they could and they were like, "Thanks!".

/me nods approvingly

edit: Or maybe it was because they are selling their support not the code.

I love the secret message....cool

**jenkinbr** · February 6th, 2009

Originally Posted by snowpine

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1211587312374

The following is found in the product description:

This boxed set includes a Ubuntu CD, Quick Start Guide, and 60 days of professional support from Ubuntu

The $20 USD here is probably going to the 2 months of support.

**hoopz23** · February 7th, 2009

There are people in the world who aren't as tech savvy as the people on this forum. They may not know anything about Live CD's and other stuff like that and this may be the only way they can try out Linux and Ubuntu.