[Qemu-devel] converging around a single guest agent

[Jamie Lokier]

>>> On 11/16/2011 03:36 PM, Anthony Liguori wrote:
>>>> We have another requirement. We need to embed the source for the guest
>>>> agent in the QEMU release tarball. This is for GPL compliance since we
>>>> want to include an ISO (eventually) that contains binaries.

Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> ovirt-guest-agent is licensed under GPLv3, so you do not need to;
> the options in GPLv3 include this one:
> 
>     d) Convey the object code by offering access from a designated
>     place (gratis or for a charge), and offer equivalent access to the
>     Corresponding Source in the same way through the same place at no
>     further charge.  You need not require recipients to copy the
>     Corresponding Source along with the object code.  If the place to
>     copy the object code is a network server, the Corresponding Source
>     may be on a different server (operated by you or a third party)
>     that supports equivalent copying facilities, provided you maintain
>     clear directions next to the object code saying where to find the
>     Corresponding Source.  Regardless of what server hosts the
>     Corresponding Source, you remain obligated to ensure that it is
>     available for as long as needed to satisfy these requirements.

Hi,

GPLv2 also has a clause similar to the above.  In GPLv2 it's not
enumerated, but says:

    If distribution of executable or object code is made by offering
    access to copy from a designated place, then offering equivalent
    access to copy the source code from the same place counts as
    distribution of the source code, even though third parties are not
    compelled to copy the source along with the object code.

I'm not sure why "mere aggregation" (GPLv2) and "aggregate" (GPLv3)
aren't sufficient to allow shipping the different binaries together in
a single ISO regardless of where the source code lives or how it's licensed.

-- Jamie