[BusyBox] how to comply with the GPL on embedded systems in p ractice

[Tom Cameron]

My suggestion would be this:

1) Distribute your product with any existing documentation.  Within the
documentation, include the GPL and alert the user that the product has been
created with GPLed code.

2) If the documentation is on a CD, or some format of the such, distribute
the code to the application on it.  Otherwise, you can make a /src directory
on the target system, and include it there.  However, keep in mind that the
users _must_ be able to gain access to it...so make sure they have some way
of getting the source files _off_ the system.

3) Read over the GPL...and dissect it paragraph by paragraph.  Surmise each
paragraph into a question, and answer that question from the aspect of your
product.  This will assure you that you're in accordance.

4) Relax.  The GPL is there for everyone's protection and is _very_ simple
to comply with...unlike some of the licenses from MicroSoft (You may use
Windows 3K on the third Saturday of the 13th month).  ;-)

--
Thomas Cameron
Network Technician / Operations Specialist
St. Mary's Bank
"First in the Nation, Second to none"

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	lisa.dahlstedt at reuseit.se [SMTP:lisa.dahlstedt at reuseit.se]
> Sent:	Thursday, July 26, 2001 4:13 PM
> To:	busybox at busybox.net
> Subject:	[BusyBox] how to comply with the GPL on embedded systems in
> practice
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I'm using busybox (and other GPLed) software in an embedded product
> I'll start shipping RSN and was hoping people could tell me how they
> comply with the GPL in practice, e.g.
> 
>   - how do you tell people the software is GPLed on a headless
>     box? In 'motd'? Sticker on the box? Manual?
> 
>   - how do you distribute the licence? A few pages in the back
>     of the printed manual? Make a /doc directory in the flash
>     root filesystem?
> 
> Matt
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> busybox mailing list
> busybox at busybox.net
> http://busybox.net/mailman/listinfo/busybox