Re: embedded emc and GPL

["Markus Meyer" <meyer-at-mesw.de>]

Hi Paul

> The GPL license does not in any way restrict a commercial use of GPL'd
> software. If you read the terms, it quite clearly states that you
> are free to
> modify and redistribute any derived works for any fee - As long
> as you give
> the customer access to the source code. The one thing you may not
> do is claim
> copyright or change the terms of the license.

Of course you are right, but it is a known fact, that many commercial
developers avoid GPL'd software, because it forces one to make your whole
sorce code publicy available (aka "virus effect"). This indeed _is_ a
restriction: As most commercial software is (still) closed-sourced, GPL'd
stuff cannot be used for most commercial software. For example, we are a
small software company, developing CAM systems and frontends for CNC-like
machines. We use some programming techniques and algorithms that make our
software superior to our competitors in this special market segment. I see
no problem with giving source code to our customers (but mostly, they are
not interested in getting source code, as long as the program works as
expected, and they don't have programmers anyway), but making the source
publicy available would only lead to our competitors downloading the thing
and sell it theirselves. So (unfortunately) closed-source software is the
key for us to survive in this small market (unless we grow as big as SUN or
IBM maybe). Also, as our source code often reflects informations about the
internal processes the customer is using, the customer himself often forces
us to sign non-disclosure agreements and the like which would not comply
with the public nature of GPLed software.


Regards


Markus