[OT] Can a commercial company use software with GPLv2 for free?

[bernd@petrovitsch.priv.at (Bernd Petrovitsch)]

Hi!

On Don, 2012-11-15 at 23:34 +0200, Mohammed Gamal wrote:
[...]
> It also depends on what you mean by 'use'. If it is 'using' the GPLv2

Yes - and "use" can mean a lot in that context: From pure in-house usage
(e.g. a CVS server used for a proprietary product) over providing CVS
repos to the outside (e.g. some hypothetical company which just sells
CVS repo access and support) - with or without patching it - up to
(re-)using sourcecode of it (or the complete sourcecode) in some other
own product.
[ List may not be complete;-) ]

So without exact knowing, what they do with it (and what not) in what
way, one cannot write more specific hints than - basically - "follow the
rules of the license".

GPLv2 is actually short and simple enough to be readable and
understandable by not-lawyers.
There are books providing more explanation and - of course - the
Internet is full of discussions about this .....

[ Full quote deleted ]

	Bernd
-- 
Bernd Petrovitsch                  Email : bernd at petrovitsch.priv.at
                     LUGA : http://www.luga.at