Using GPL software in my company?

Digital Puer · External Since: Aug 08, 2007 Posts: 1

Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
programming
kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
about it.
We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
to it.
Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
company
having to GPL our software or make available our data.

Thanks.

user · External Since: Aug 14, 2005 Posts: 1197

Digital Puer wrote:

> Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
> programming
> kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
> about it.

Vague employees are not the right persons for any kind of job.

> We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
> to it.
> Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
> the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
> company
> having to GPL our software or make available our data.

There are no problems with using software.
You don't have to share your code or data just because
you use without modification GPL'd software.
All GPL software comes with GPL license or you
can download it at www.fsf.org or google for it.

>
> Thanks.

The Ghost In The Machine · External Since: Aug 04, 2005 Posts: 3878

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, 7
<website_has_email.TakeThisOut@www.enemygadgets.com>
wrote
on Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:45:07 GMT
<DPqui.3274$cw7.2981@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>:
> Digital Puer wrote:
>
>> Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
>> programming
>> kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
>> about it.
>
> Vague employees are not the right persons for any kind of job.
>
>> We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
>> to it.
>> Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
>> the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
>> company
>> having to GPL our software or make available our data.
>
> There are no problems with using software.
> You don't have to share your code or data just because
> you use without modification GPL'd software.
> All GPL software comes with GPL license or you
> can download it at www.fsf.org or google for it.

Just to make it easier:

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html#GPL

Straight from the, erm, GNU's mouth. Smile

>
>>
>> Thanks.
>

--
#191, ewill3.TakeThisOut@earthlink.net
Useless C++ Programming Idea #992381111:
while(bit&BITMASK) ;

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

x0054 · External Since: May 28, 2006 Posts: 43

7 <website_has_email DeleteThis @www.enemygadgets.com> wrote in news:DPqui.3274
$cw7.2981@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:

> Digital Puer wrote:
>
>> Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
>> programming
>> kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
>> about it.
>
> Vague employees are not the right persons for any kind of job.
>
>> We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
>> to it.
>> Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
>> the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
>> company
>> having to GPL our software or make available our data.
>
> There are no problems with using software.
> You don't have to share your code or data just because
> you use without modification GPL'd software.
> All GPL software comes with GPL license or you
> can download it at www.fsf.org or google for it.
>
>>
>> Thanks.
>

Use it all you want, not a problem. Any thing made using GPL programs is
your to keep. No problems there.

Even if, for some reason, you would like to do small modifications to the
GPL tools them selves to help you work better, you do not have to post the
source you changed, as long as you do not distribute the changed program
outside your company, though certainly it would be nice if you did.

The only time you have to show your code is if you directly modify ad thus
build upon a GPL product and then distribute that same GPL product with
modifications as your own.

- Bogdan

Roy Schestowitz · External Since: Jun 26, 2005 Posts: 24202

____/ x0054 on Wednesday 08 August 2007 23:45 : \____

> 7 <website_has_email.RemoveThis@www.enemygadgets.com> wrote in news:DPqui.3274
> $cw7.2981@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:
>
>> Digital Puer wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
>>> programming
>>> kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
>>> about it.
>>
>> Vague employees are not the right persons for any kind of job.
>>
>>> We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
>>> to it.
>>> Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
>>> the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
>>> company
>>> having to GPL our software or make available our data.

You appear to be relying on false information and stereotypes, of which there
are plenty. Sad

>> There are no problems with using software.
>> You don't have to share your code or data just because
>> you use without modification GPL'd software.
>> All GPL software comes with GPL license or you
>> can download it at www.fsf.org or google for it.
>>
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>
>
> Use it all you want, not a problem. Any thing made using GPL programs is
> your to keep. No problems there.
>
> Even if, for some reason, you would like to do small modifications to the
> GPL tools them selves to help you work better, you do not have to post the
> source you changed, as long as you do not distribute the changed program
> outside your company, though certainly it would be nice if you did.
>
> The only time you have to show your code is if you directly modify ad thus
> build upon a GPL product and then distribute that same GPL product with
> modifications as your own.
>
> - Bogdan

--
~~ Best of wishes

Roy S. Schestowitz | "These characters were randomly picked"
http://Schestowitz.com | GNU is Not UNIX | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
http://iuron.com - proposing a non-profit search engine

Hadron · External Since: Jul 17, 2007 Posts: 305

The Ghost In The Machine <ewill RemoveThis @sirius.tg00suus7038.net> writes:

> In comp.os.linux.advocacy, 7
> <website_has_email RemoveThis @www.enemygadgets.com>
> wrote
> on Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:45:07 GMT
> <DPqui.3274$cw7.2981@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>:
>> Digital Puer wrote:
>>
>>> Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
>>> programming
>>> kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
>>> about it.
>>
>> Vague employees are not the right persons for any kind of job.
>>
>>> We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
>>> to it.
>>> Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
>>> the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
>>> company
>>> having to GPL our software or make available our data.
>>
>> There are no problems with using software.
>> You don't have to share your code or data just because
>> you use without modification GPL'd software.
>> All GPL software comes with GPL license or you
>> can download it at www.fsf.org or google for it.
>
> Just to make it easier:
>
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html#GPL
>
> Straight from the, erm, GNU's mouth. Smile

Could someone explain this nonsense:

,----
| If I distribute GPL'd software for a fee, am I required to also make it
| available to the public without a charge?
|
| No. However, if someone pays your fee and gets a copy, the GPL gives
| them the freedom to release it to the public, with or without a
| fee. For example, someone could pay your fee, and then put her copy
| on a web site for the general public.
`----

And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS

,----
| If I use a piece of software that has been obtained under the GNU GPL,
| am I allowed to modify the original code into a new program, then
| distribute and sell that new program commercially?
|
| You are allowed to sell copies of the modified program commercially,
| but only under the terms of the GNU GPL. Thus, for instance, you
| must make the source code available to the users of the program as
| described in the GPL, and they must be allowed to redistribute and
| modify it as described in the GPL.
|
| These requirements are the condition for including the GPL-covered
| code you received in a program of your own.
`----

It's all forked tongue. Here it doesn't make clear enough *which* source
code must be released. I'm sure it does elsewhere. Anyone?

Bob Hauck · External Since: Aug 25, 2006 Posts: 345

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:10:17 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark DeleteThis @googlemail.com>
wrote:

> And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS

Except for a few. Like Sun. And IBM. And Microsoft.

--
-| Bob Hauck
-| "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." -- Stephen Colbert
-| http://www.haucks.org/

yttrx · External Since: Sep 09, 2006 Posts: 1246

Digital Puer <digital_puer.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi, I am interested in using a GPL'ed software (the GNU linear
> programming
> kit) at my company, but one of my co-workers is vaguely concerned
> about it.
> We will be using the software; we will not be making any modifications
> to it.
> Are there any problems with using this GPL'ed program with respect to
> the interests of my company? My coworker is concerned about our
> company
> having to GPL our software or make available our data.

No.

-----yttrx

--
http://www.yttrx.net

Hadron · External Since: Jul 17, 2007 Posts: 305

Bob Hauck <postmaster.RemoveThis@localhost.localdomain> writes:

> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:10:17 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark.RemoveThis@googlemail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS
>
> Except for a few. Like Sun. And IBM. And Microsoft.

Minority stuff as you well know.

We are talking about their cutting edge license fee gathering apps.

Are they available on the web to download for "free"?

To be honest the whole thing confuses me and I suspect it confuses a lot
of people. The whole GPL2 v GPL3 debate indicates some serious issues
with the entire mind set and people's understanding of what they can and
can not do with OSS under the GPL.

Bob Hauck · External Since: Aug 25, 2006 Posts: 345

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:07:02 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark RemoveThis @googlemail.com> wrote:
> yttrx RemoveThis @yttrx.net (yttrx) writes:
>
>> Hadron <hadronquark RemoveThis @googlemail.com> wrote:
>>> Bob Hauck <postmaster RemoveThis @localhost.localdomain> writes:
>>>
>>>> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:10:17 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark RemoveThis @googlemail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS
>>>>
>>>> Except for a few. Like Sun. And IBM. And Microsoft.
>>>
>>> Minority stuff as you well know.

Wow, was that a set of goalposts I saw whizzing by just now?

--
-| Bob Hauck
-| "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." -- Stephen Colbert
-| http://www.haucks.org/

Hadron · External Since: Jul 17, 2007 Posts: 305

Bob Hauck <postmaster.DeleteThis@localhost.localdomain> writes:

> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:07:02 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark.DeleteThis@googlemail.com> wrote:
>> yttrx.DeleteThis@yttrx.net (yttrx) writes:
>>
>>> Hadron <hadronquark.DeleteThis@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>> Bob Hauck <postmaster.DeleteThis@localhost.localdomain> writes:
>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:10:17 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark.DeleteThis@googlemail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS
>>>>>
>>>>> Except for a few. Like Sun. And IBM. And Microsoft.
>>>>
>>>> Minority stuff as you well know.
>
> Wow, was that a set of goalposts I saw whizzing by just now?

It seems its them arriving. I hope you called off peak.

So, you maintain that IBM and SUN embrace the OSS mentality and release,
for free, all their SW which generates them revenue?

No? I didn't think so.

The Ghost In The Machine · External Since: Aug 04, 2005 Posts: 3878

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Hadron
<hadronquark.RemoveThis@googlemail.com>
wrote
on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:36:17 +0200
<4ir7or7ge.fsf.RemoveThis@news.ubuntu.home>:
> Bob Hauck <postmaster.RemoveThis@localhost.localdomain> writes:
>
>> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:07:02 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark.RemoveThis@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>> yttrx.RemoveThis@yttrx.net (yttrx) writes:
>>>
>>>> Hadron <hadronquark.RemoveThis@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Bob Hauck <postmaster.RemoveThis@localhost.localdomain> writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:10:17 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark.RemoveThis@googlemail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Except for a few. Like Sun. And IBM. And Microsoft.
>>>>>
>>>>> Minority stuff as you well know.
>>
>> Wow, was that a set of goalposts I saw whizzing by just now?
>
> It seems its them arriving. I hope you called off peak.
>
> So, you maintain that IBM and SUN embrace the OSS mentality and release,
> for free, all their SW which generates them revenue?
>
> No? I didn't think so.

They do not. Only Microsoft Windows can embrace the
OSS mentality. Smile

In fact, they already have; at least one Microsoft tool
(WiX) has been released into open source.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5185549.html

This tool is now available at

http://sourceforge.net/projects/wix

A drop in the bucket, of course.

--
#191, ewill3.RemoveThis@earthlink.net
Useless C++ Programming Idea #8830129:
std::set<...> v; for(..:iterator i = v.begin(); i != v.end(); i++)
if(*i == thing) {...}

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Bob Hauck · External Since: Aug 25, 2006 Posts: 345

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:36:17 +0200, Hadron <hadronquark.TakeThisOut@googlemail.com>
wrote:

> Bob Hauck <postmaster.TakeThisOut@localhost.localdomain> writes:
>
>> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:07:02 +0200, Hadron
>> <hadronquark.TakeThisOut@googlemail.com> wrote:

>>> yttrx.TakeThisOut@yttrx.net (yttrx) writes:
>>>
>>>> Hadron <hadronquark.TakeThisOut@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Bob Hauck <postmaster.TakeThisOut@localhost.localdomain> writes:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:10:17 +0200, Hadron
>>>>>> <hadronquark.TakeThisOut@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And of course the reason big companies wont release or go into OSS
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Except for a few. Like Sun. And IBM. And Microsoft.
>>>>>
>>>>> Minority stuff as you well know.
>>
>> Wow, was that a set of goalposts I saw whizzing by just now?

> So, you maintain that IBM and SUN embrace the OSS mentality and release,
> for free, all their SW which generates them revenue?

I maintain that you're trying to weasel out of what you actually said
now that you've been hammered about it by everyone.

--
-| Bob Hauck
-| "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." -- Stephen Colbert
-| http://www.haucks.org/