[Typo3-dev] GPL and what's the definition of "public"

[Martin T. Kutschker]

Peter Russ wrote:
> 
> 2) Question: what is ouside or public
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#TOCUnreleasedMods
> "However, putting the program on a server machine for the public to talk 
> to is hardly "private" use, so it would be legitimate to require release 
> of the source code in that special case."
> 
> So for me the GPL does not differentiate if the output of the program or 
> the program is directly available to the public. The program runs on the 
> internet so it's out the organisation and the code HAS TO PUBLUSHed.

The phrase "it would be legitimate to require" is to me (but I'm not a 
native speaker) a strong request. But the wording implies to me that 
nobody expects that requirement to hold up in court. As I read it, the 
creaters of the GPL would like to see you to publish the code, but see 
no way to enforce it within the GPL directly.

IMHO it's a bit weird to require source distribution to the actual FE 
users of a corprate site.

My 2 cents,
Masi