Clarification on GPL 2.0 License Applicability

[Clark McCauley]

As someone not familiar with all the ins and outs of GPL specifically, how does GPL in the armbian/build project play with userpatches? Is it expected that a commercial hardware device using Armbian would need to open-source the customize-image.sh script?

 

Thanks!

Edited 7 hours ago by Clark McCauley

[tparys]

This seems like an excellent question for a lawyer.

 

That said, the Armbian Build system is GPL v2, which Wikipedia has an excellent Article on, and has the following to say:

 

Quote

Use of licensed software

 

Software under the GPL may be used for any purposes, including commercial ones, and even as a tool for creating proprietary software, such as when using GPL-licensed compilers.[52] Users or companies who distribute GPL-licensed works (e.g., software), may charge a fee for copies or provide them free of charge. This distinguishes the GPL from two other kinds of license: shareware software licenses that allow copying for personal use but prohibit commercial distribution, and proprietary licenses where copying is prohibited by copyright law. The FSF asserts that freedom-respecting free software should not restrict commercial use and distribution (including redistribution):[51][53]

 

In purely private (or internal) use—with no sales and no distribution—the software code may be modified and parts reused without requiring the source code to be released. For sales or distribution, the entire source code needs to be made available to end users, including any code changes and additions—in that case, copyleft is applied to ensure that end users retain the freedoms defined above.

 

That said, even if you're not distributing modifications of the build system, the final image still has GPL components.