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<font style="font-size: 10pt;"></font><p style="font-size: 10pt;"><font
style="font-size: 10pt;">I must admit I am
little too ignorant when it comes to how the GPL license works for using
Linux. My general assumption was that if I made a Linux distrobution I would
be required to make the source code available. Now I remember catching a
short article a year back on OSnews.com about some distro that got into some
problem or whatever for not doing this.</font></div><div><font
style="font-size: 10pt;"> </font></div><p style="font-size: 10pt;">
<font style="font-size: 10pt;">So here is my question. Recently I was
looking at a
Cisco IDS sensor which uses Linux as its OS. I see now that more and more
Cisco is relying on Linux to provide their devices with some sort of OS.
Actually this is how I came to this mailing list a couple years back. I had
some ACNS units that I was going to write off the books and see about using
them as either NAS or Linux based firewalls. These were way beyond my
skills, and I think many due to their extremely proprietary design. Of
course if the source code was freely available I am sure there would be a
few out their that would have easily modified these. Now the IDS units are
nothing more than regular servers. In fact I was able to use the recovery CD
in VMware to install the IDS software, i.e. this is just regular old Linux,
modified to fit Cisco's needs. Now they are not the only company doing this.
So, then the question is, don't these companies have to make readily
available the source code to what they have done? Generally they are not
selling the OS, just a subscription or support. But to get the actual
software you have to purchase a support contract, which to me seems like
they are in fact selling it.<br></font></div><div><font style="font-size:
10pt;"> </font></div>
<p style="font-size: 10pt;"><font style="font-size: 10pt;"> </font>
</div><div><font style="font-size: 10pt;"><br> </font></div>
Sean Waite<br><br>
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