Re: Sharing the GPL source code, with value addition by vendor specific to his hardware?

[Hyman Rosen]

On 10/12/2010 3:30 AM, Alexander Terekhov wrote:
> Do you mean
>    GPL-free code + GPL-contaminated code = GPL-contaminated whole work
> GNUtian theory?

That's not a theory, those are the terms of the license.
As courts have determined, users are not free to ignore
terms of software licenses.

> Well, the FSF-while-in-court is on record:
>
> "In fact, the GPL itself rejects any automatic aggregation of software
> copyrights under the GPL simply because one program licensed under the
> GPL is distributed together with another program that is not licensed
> under the GPL: "In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based
> on the Program with the Program (or with a work based on the Program)
> on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring the
> other work under the scope of this License."

Precisely. If the OP's software is merely aggregated on the same
distribution medium as GPLed software, it is likely that the OP will
not be required to distribute it under the terms of the GPL. However
the OP sounded like there was a more intimate association involved,
in which case distribution is permitted only under the terms of the
GPL.