[vox] What is GPL "Distribution"?

[Mike Simons]

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On Wed, Jun 11, 2003 at 09:18:41AM -0700, Micah J. Cowan wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 10, 2003 at 08:20:09PM -0700, Bill Kendrick wrote:
> > On Tue, Jun 10, 2003 at 06:38:56PM -0700, Jeff Newmiller wrote:
> > >=20
> > >  a) My company asks me to install a kiosk in our front lobby.  I modi=
fy
> > >     GPL code to get it working.  Is physical access to a device
> > >     implemented with GPL'd tools by the public considered "distributi=
on"?
> >=20
> > I think so, hence the source-code releases by folks like TiVo and
> > Dish Network.
>=20
> But you actually *buy* TiVo, etc. He's talking about physical access,
> but not ownership; not even leasing. I don't think there's a court in
> the world that would rule this to be "distribution."

  In the example above, I have trouble seeing how that is considered
distribution.  However, if the same kiosks started appearing in starbucks=
=20
or public libraries... I have trouble seeing how that is not
distribution.  Even if the company still "owns" the kiosks and is=20
only renting use of them to the locations involved.

--=20
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