[PLUG] some clarifications on GPL

[Nishit Dave]

OK, I am reposting my bounced mail, in three parts.  Part I of 3, 8th Jan
2007:
--------------------
Before we discuss this further, some links:

The GNU GPL FAQ <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html>
How to use the GNU GPL for your own programs
<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-howto.html>

And now the four freedoms enshrined in the license, GPL
v2<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>,
quoting rms:

"Freedom 0 is the freedom to run the software as you wish. Freedom 1 is the
> freedom to study and change the source code as you wish. Freedom 2 is the
> freedom to copy and distribute the software as you wish. And freedom 3 is
> the freedom to create and distribute modified versions as you wish."
>

These are the freedoms available to the people to whom you distribute your
program.  For the author / modifier, Section 3 of GPLv2 states (in slightly
truncated form) as under ((C) Free Software Foundation, Inc.):

"*3.* You may copy and distribute the Program in object code or executable
> form provided that you also do one of the following:
> *a)* Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source
> code; or,
> *b)* Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to
> give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically
> performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the
> corresponding source code; or,
> *c)* Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to
> distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for
> noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object
> code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b
> above.)

Part II follows..