[AuckLUG] GPL 3 - The Real Deal

[Nevyn]

On 6/1/07, Ravi Chemudugunta <chemuduguntar at gmail.com> wrote:
<snip>

that was a bit over dramatic of me =) ... but what I am saying is ... how
> closed is the source; only changes and editions to library xyz need to be
> open? the whole thing (your application)? ... what if you had to embed
> passwords in your code...would you have to make that open as well?
>
> I think gpl makes an allowance to this...you can use gpl in a closed
> source
> project if you make changes to the open source library open; its abusive
> to
> GPL to say , its gpl and its not ... depending on if you pay us money...
>


</snip>

If you're putting passwords in the code you're doing something seriously
wrong. If you're doing something along the lines of hiding a hexidecimal
number which would, if gotten into the public arena would enable people to
circumvent copy protection, it's not really security. Security by obscurity
isn't really security.

I.e. If I were to hide a diamond in a hole in my backyard because no one
would know where it is, is a dog then being malicious by digging up that
diamond? My own damn fault for putting it there in the first place. So
basically - if you need a special number or password or whatever, if it's
ending up in your source code, someone's probably taken the wrong approach.

Thus this would not be an issue in the GPL (phew! - knew there was some way
to bring this back on topic)