MEPIS grundgingly complies with the GPL

. . . keeping an eye on the penguin

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Jul. 31, 2006

MEPIS LLC, the popular Ubuntu-based Linux distributor, has finally released its distribution source code under the GPL. Warren Woodford, the Morgantown, WV-based company's CEO, is not one bit pleased with being forced to do so.

In his FAQ on how MEPIS is complying with the GPL, Woodford writes, "The GPL license and the Free Software Foundation make sense to me if I assume that the purpose of the GPL license is to force the redistribution of all source code and to prevent commerce that does not include the unencumbered redistribution of all source code. The FSF recommends that you assign your copyrights to them, so they can insure your software 'freedom.' If the FSF succeeds, all source code will be GPL licensed and controlled by the Free Software Foundation; and all Laws regarding software patents and copyrights will be rendered ineffective."

Woodford has long disagreed with some parts of the GPL. He recently ran into some trouble with its requirement that downstream distributors of GPL code are obligated to provide source code to users in an easily accessible format.

Woodford's mistake was that although he was providing MEPIS's modified Debian/Ubuntu kernel source code in a Debian source-package, he was not providing the source code that was available elsewhere, which he had not modified.

He feels that providing this code is too much of a burden for a small Linux distributor. He also believes that the vast majority of Linux distributors are in the same boat.

Nevertheless, MEPIS is now offering MEPIS related GPLed source code as a 2 DVD set available from the MEPIS Store for $29.95.

He's not happy about having to do this, though.

Woodford writes, "In most cases, the source code for the GPLed components contained in the SimplyMEPIS collective work are available from the Ubuntu pools, however in accordance with the restrictions of the GPL license, source code is also available from MEPIS." ... "This offer does not apply to the GPLed source code of GPLed binary code that is not distributed by MEPIS, or that is improperly licensed under the GPL license, or that is determined to be in violation of US law."

Woordford continued, "For the purpose of satisfying the restriction of the GPL license regarding GPLed source code, MEPIS grants an automatic limited agency relationship to individuals and groups giving MEPIS CDs to others free of charge or for a fee that is charged only to raise funds for a legal not-for-profit activity. This means MEPIS users can give copies of MEPIS Linux to their friends without being accused of violating the GPL license."

One member of the MEPIS discussion forum approved, noting: "MEPIS is not trying to get out of supplying the source. We want to and will comply with the GPL. Since we were unaware of the 'mirror' policy that the FSF is seeming to want to enforce we wanted to let it be known to the other distros that may not have known either."

-- Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

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