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GPL Mere Aggregation question


From: avesty
Subject: GPL Mere Aggregation question
Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:03:02 -0800 (PST)
User-agent: G2/1.0

I have a question on two GPL areas, mere aggregation and packaging
some GPL software in an installer.

Both are FAQ's listed here:

http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation

http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLCompatInstaller

I have a commercial application that is distributed packaged in an
installer that you can download. When a user installs the application
I wanted to install some GPL software at the same time. Reading the
above FAQ's it would seem to me that I can package the GPL software in
the installer along with the commercial software. The GPL software
isn't linked/built in/incorporated into the commercial software.

I spoke with someone from the company that sells a commercial license
to the GPL software and was told that because the GPL is a viral
license to distribute it in this manner would require us to GPL
everything that was in the installer. That seemed to contradict what
is covered in the FAQ above.

If that is the case and the GPL software can't be distributed like
this, I assume based on mere aggregation that we could ship the
installer for our product on the same disc as the GPL software
installer and source?

Can we also make the GPL software/source available from our own web
server? If so, at the end of installation of our product can we
provide a link for users  to our website to download install the GPL
software/source?

Just after some straight answers... The company selling a commercial
license to the GPL software is obviously motivated to sell me one, as
opposed to help clarify the GPL.

Also, are there lawyers that deal with this sort of thing
specifically? It seems quite difficult to get straight answers on what
exactly is/isn't ok with the GPL...

Cheers,

Ad.


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