RE: GPL license and linux kernel modifications

From: David Schwartz
Date: Thu Jan 29 2004 - 06:16:51 EST




> On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 19:25:55 +0300,
> =?koi8-r?Q?=22?=Bansh=?koi8-r?Q?=22=20?= <bansh21@xxxxxxx> said:

> Yes, but it has to be the *preferred* source form. So you have
> to distribute
> what you're actually using to maintain the system. You want to claim that
> the very tricky code is your preferred form, go right ahead. Let
> me know how
> the first time you try to fix a bug goes. ;)

> It is most certainly *NOT* allowed to pass your code through a obfuscator
> before shipping it out.

In my insanest musings, I've thought about a case where one has a
decrypting/encrypting editor and a decrypting compiler. This could honestly
make the encrypted source the preferred form for the purposes of making
modifications.

Anyone who attempts this would likely run afoul of a legal principle known
as the "straight face doctrine". This says that one may not make any
argument in court unless one can do so with a straight face. Because of
this, lawyers that can say rather insane things with perfectly straight
faces are quite highly prized.

DS


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