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1. Embed this notice
   mms :runbsd: :emacs: :c64: (mms@mastodon.bsd.cafe)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 00:10:37 JST mms :runbsd: :emacs: :c64:

   #licesing question.

   People share (a)gpl code on github. Github is not available everywhere (even read access I think).

   Does that break the GPL?

   "...must prominently offer all users interacting with it remotely through a computer network (if your version supports such interaction) an opportunity to receive the Corresponding Source of your version by providing access to the Corresponding Source from a network server at no charge, through some standard or customary means of facilitating copying of software"

   (AGPL 3, section 13)

   #opensource #gnu #gpl

   • Embed this notice
     Alfred M. Szmidt (amszmidt@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 00:10:32 JST Alfred M. Szmidt

     in reply to

     • Forgejo
     • ltning
     • slash

     @ltning It is an interesting question, post that I provide the source code using a QIC tape. You have no QIC tape drive, or ability to read the tape .. since it is in som semi-obscure format.

     If I send you the tape, I've technically fulfilled my obligations -- despite it being entirely useless. A similar argument could be made here I think.

     @forgejo @mms @agreeable_landfall

   • Embed this notice
     slash (agreeable_landfall@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 00:10:35 JST slash

     in reply to

     @mms Years ago, there was a music-centric GNU/Linux distribution which did not distribute source, since everything they put out was already available elsewhere.

     The FSF explained that each distributor had to provide code themselves, not rely on other repos, because those might become unavailable.

     I think Microsoft GitHub counts, as long as the account belongs to the project in question.

     GitHub, AFAIK, is available worldwide. Being blocked by a gov or boss is outside the reach of a license.

   • Embed this notice
     ltning (ltning@pleroma.anduin.net)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 00:10:35 JST ltning

     in reply to

     • Forgejo
     • slash
     @agreeable_landfall @mms At you site about that last part? Specifically, it may be GitHub that prevents you from accessing it, not your boss or government. If we know GitHub discriminates, can it be considered a compliant means of distributing ("providing") source code? I honestly don't know.
     
     What I mean to say is, GitHub and its corporate likes must eventually die, and @forgejo and similar free, open and federated repository services must become the norm.
     
     #IveBeenRadicalized
   • Embed this notice
     Alfred M. Szmidt (amszmidt@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 00:14:26 JST Alfred M. Szmidt

     in reply to

     • Forgejo
     • ltning
     • slash

     @ltning So if you provide the source code using BlubHub, and for some reason you cannot access it (that at least is out of control from the party you are asking the source code from - that is to say that the party distributing isn't actively hindering you to download it), section 4 would be generally fulfilled.

     After all, you can always ask someone else to download the program for you, or extract it.

     @forgejo @mms @agreeable_landfall

   • Embed this notice
     slash (agreeable_landfall@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 01:22:17 JST slash

     in reply to

     • Forgejo
     • ltning
     • Alfred M. Szmidt

     @amszmidt

     I think this would trigger the GPL clause requiring source to be provided in "the preferred form of the work for making modifications."

     And remember, you are permitted to charge a fee for this sort of thing. It's a "nominal" charge, meaning the cost of media, the time to prepare it, and shipping costs. The Free Software Foundation used to charge $900 for their "everything" tape, back when 9 track tapes were the norm.

     @ltning @forgejo @mms

   • Embed this notice
     Alfred M. Szmidt (amszmidt@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 01:26:15 JST Alfred M. Szmidt

     in reply to

     • Forgejo
     • ltning
     • slash

     @agreeable_landfall @ltning the preferred form is for_me_ though, the distributor, not the party receiving the source code. The GPL doesn’t put an undue burden on maintainers to follow every whim someone wants.

     @forgejo @mms

   • Embed this notice
     Alfred M. Szmidt (amszmidt@mastodon.social)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 15:41:25 JST Alfred M. Szmidt

     in reply to

     • ltning
     • slash

     @ltning I think the GitHub is already unacceptable, but that is for other reasons than that of complying with the #GNU It #GPL.

     This thought experiment sorta reminds me how many countries require government to provide documentation of various things ... but they can send it on paper tape to comply (and then charge a nominal fee for printing).

     @mms @agreeable_landfall

   • Embed this notice
     ltning (ltning@pleroma.anduin.net)'s status on Thursday, 03-Apr-2025 15:41:27 JST ltning

     in reply to

     • Alfred M. Szmidt
     • slash
     @amszmidt Yeah I read you loud and clear - I'm being a bit difficult on purpose.
     
     Let's say it is decided that your QIC-tape is too obscure or otherwise difficult to access to fulfil the requirement (although I do actually have several drives ;). At which point does a site like GitHub stop being acceptable? How many and which countries, browsers, user agents, IP ranges, etc do they have to block? How many captchas and trackers do they have to implement before it becomes too discriminating?
     
     The answer is probably that the line is drawn closer to your tapes than to anything GitHub is likely to do in the foreseeable future. The word "likely" may end up doing some heavy lifting there, though.
     
     I know this is not currently a "big enough" problem to warrant my harping on this - but recent events has caused me great pause in how I deal with centralised, corporately-run services that want or need to comply with the whims of an unpredictable government. Especially when I depend on them for anything but entertainment..
     
     @mms @agreeable_landfall