On Thu, Oct 21, 2004 at 03:07:00PM -0400, Raul Miller wrote: > On Wed, Oct 20, 2004 at 03:19:41PM +0200, Giacomo A. Catenazzi wrote: > > Note: source is GPL, but for windoze binaries it is *required* > > a registration. > > After looking at this for a bit, and thinking about it, it looks like > the shareware is a distribution charge, which is allowed under the GPL.
If what the original author wanted to do was use the distribution-charge allowances to recoup costs for sending out Windows copies, he can add a front end to his webpage: "paypal me $5 and I'll let you download the binary and complete source under the GPL (and you can distribute it all you want from there, since it doesn't cost me money)". I think this is what you're describing, and is perfectly valid under the GPL--but it isn't shareware. What he appears to actually be doing is: "here's the binary and partial source; if you want to keep using it after a while, send me $5 and I'll unlock it for you". This is shareware; "partial source" is the GPL violation. -- Glenn Maynard
