[SR-Users] Regd. Kamailio GPL

[Stefan Sayer]

Olle E. Johansson wrote on 03/11/2015 10:56 AM:
> 
> On 11 Mar 2015, at 10:13, Daniel Tryba <d.tryba at pocos.nl> wrote:
> 
>> On Tuesday 10 March 2015 14:52:22 Shankar wrote:
>>> We are exploring kamailio source for use in our VOIP solution. This is the
>>> first time we are looking at open source. We have few doubts in using
>>> kamailio for providing our VOIP service. Under GPL any customization
>>> (customization mainly with respect to interacting with our proprietary
>>> applications e.g. Billing server)  we do to kamailio also has to be provided
>>> to the end user. Our doubt is whether we can procure commercial rights to
>>> our customised code?
>>
>> You should really contact a lawyer specialised in IP to get good advice. But 
>> gnu.org points out that above assumption isn't always true:
>> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0-faq.html#GPLRequireSourcePostedPublic
>>
>> "The GPL does not require you to release your modified version. You are free 
>> to make modifications and use them privately, without ever releasing them. 
>> This applies to organizations (including companies), too; an organization can 
>> make a modified version and use it internally without ever releasing it 
>> outside the organization.
>>
>> But if you release the modified version to the public in some way, the GPL 
>> requires you to make the modified source code available to the program's 
>> users, under the GPL."
>>
>> So if you don't ship a binary to endusers, you don't have to release source 
>> (including modifications). It all depends on what you are supplying to your 
>> endusers (a service or a (complete) software product).
>>
> 
> There is a big difference between GPLv2 and GPLv3 here.
> 
> For GPL2, providing services is not seen as distribution of the source, and the
> commercial code can stay in the company. For GPLv3 it's different as far as I
> understand.
Olle is most definitely mistaken here, and IMO confusing the GPL with
the AGPL (Affero GPL). See "2. Basic Permissions." of the GPLv3.

Or, see any of the comparison pages, e.g. this one, the first google
gives me:
http://www.ifross.org/en/what-difference-between-gplv2-and-gplv3

d) In contrast to the GPLv2, the GPLv3 clearly states that there is no
 requirement to disclose the source code in an ASP use of GPL programs
 as long as a copy of the software is not sent to the client.  If the
 copyleft effect is to be extended to ASP use (→ When does
 independently developed software have to be licensed under the GPL?),
 the Affero General Public License, Version 3 (AGPL) must be applied
 that only differs from the GPLv3 in this regard.

ianal, tinla and all.

Stefan

> 
> Kamailio is GPLv2 and Siremis - the web interface by Asipto - is GPLv3.
> 
> /O
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