Re: [Savannah-hackers-public] reTUX game - possible GNU GPL violation

[Sergio Durigan Junior]

On Tuesday, August 09 2016, wiktor wrote:

> Hi,
> I'd like to request that you review an opensource project hosted on GNU
> Savannah that misleads users and requires a fee to download its source
> code. The project in question is a platformer game called reTUX that uses
> graphics from the SuperTux game and is hosted at
> http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/retux.
> I've tried contacting the author to point out that it's a violation of the
> GPL to withhold source code (or in this case, to ask money for it), and
> it's also rather peculiar to be hosting password protected source code
> tarballs on GNU Savannah. Included below is a copy of that email
> conversation.

IANAL, but he is right.  He's not "witholding the source code", he's
just selling access to the binary (which will automatically grant you
access to the source code, from what I understand).  What's interesting
is that once you have access to the source code, you are entitled to
distribute it gratis if you want.

It is not forbidden (although it's not usual) to charge for the program
(binary) and for the distribution media.  Notice that if you already
have the binary, he cannot charge you for accessing the source code
(he's not doing that, and he even offered to send you the source code,
as far as I see).  Now, if you know someone who have already paid for
the game and have the source code, this person can give you access to it
"for free" (as in price).  BTW, he also mentioned that.

Cheers,

-- 
Sergio
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Please send encrypted e-mail if possible
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