docs/busybox.net/license.html - busybox - Git at Google

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 <h3>The GPL BusyBox license</h3>

 There has been some confusion in the past as to exactly what is
 required to safely distribute GPL'd software such as BusyBox as
 part of a product.  To ensure that there is no confusion
 whatsoever, this page attempts to summarize what you should do to
 ensure you do not accidentally violate the law.

 <p>
 <h3>Complying with the BusyBox license is easy and completely free.</h3>

 U.S. and International Law protects copyright owners from the unauthorized
 reproduction, adaptation, display, distribution, etc of copyright protected
 works.  Copyright violations (such as shipping BusyBox in a manner contrary to
 its license) are subject to severe penalties.  The courts can award up to
 $150,000 per product shipped without even showing any actual loss by the
 copyright holder.  Criminal penalties are available for intentional acts
 undertaken for purposes of "commercial advantage" or "private financial gain."
 In addition, if it comes to my attention that you are violating the BusyBox
 license, I will list you on the <a href="/shame.html">BusyBox Hall of Shame</a>
 webpage.

 <p>

 Nobody wants that to happen.  Do everyone a favor and don't break the law -- if
 you use BusyBox, you <b>must comply with the BusyBox license</b>.

 <p>
 <h3>BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License</h3>

 BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License , which
 is generally just abbreviated as the GPL license, or
 just the GPL.
 <p>
 <a href="/products.html">Anyone thinking of shipping
 BusyBox as part of a product</a> should be familiar with the
 licensing terms under which they are allowed to use and
 distribute BusyBox.  You are advised to take a look over the

 <ul>
 <li><a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">full text of
 the GNU General Public License</a>, and
 <li><a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html">
 Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU GPL</a>
 </ul>
 to be sure you (and your lawyers) fully understand them.

 <p>

 The following is a quick summary for the impatient.  If you
 carefully follow these steps, it will ensure that you are 100%
 authorized to ship BusyBox with your product, and have no reason
 to worry about lawsuits or being listed on the <a
 href="/shame.html">BusyBox Hall of Shame</a> page.  You will be
 able to sleep peacefully at night knowing you have fulfilled all
 your licensing obligations.

 <p>

 If you distribute a product, it should either be accompanied by
 <b>full source for all GPL'd products</b> (including BusyBox)
 and/or a <b>written offer</b> to supply the source for all
 GPL'd products for the cost of shipping and handling.  The source
 has to be in its preferred machine readable form, so you cannot
 encrypt or obfuscate it.  You are not required to provide full
 source for all the closed source applications that happen to be
 part of the system with BusyBox, though you can certainly do so
 if you feel like it.  But providing source for the GPL licensed
 applications such as BusyBox is mandatory.

 <p>

 <b>Accompanied by source</b> generally means you distribute the full
 source code for all GPL'd products including BusyBox along with your
 product, such as by placing it somewhere on a driver CD.  Full source
 code includes the BusyBox ".config" file used when your shipping BusyBox
 binary was compiled, and any and all modifications you made to the
 BusyBox source code.

 <p>

 <b>A written offer</b> generally means that somewhere in the
 documentation for your product, you write something like

 <blockquote>
 The GPL source code contained in this product is available as a
 free download from http://blah.blah.blah/
 </blockquote>
 Alternatively, you can offer the source code by writing
 somewhere in the documentation for your product something like
 <blockquote>
 If you would like a copy of the GPL source code contained in this
 product shipped to you on CD, please send $9.99 to &lt;address&gt;
 which covers the cost of preparing and mailing a CD to you.
 </blockquote>
 <p>

 Keep in mind though that if you distribute GPL'd binaries online (as is often
 done when supplying firmware updates), it is <b>highly</b> recommended that you
 make the corresponding source available online at the same place.  Regardless,
 if you distribute a binary copy of BusyBox online (such as part of a firmware
 update) you <b>must</b> either make source available online (i.e.
 <b>accompanied by source</b>) and/or inform those downloading firmware updates
 of their right to obtain source (i.e. <b>a written offer</b>).  Failure to do
 so is a violation of your licensing obligations.


 <p>

 Some people have the mistaken understanding that if they use unmodified
 GPL'd source code, they do not need to distribute anything.  This belief
 is not correct, and is not supported by the
 <a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">text of GPL</a>.
 Please do re-read it -- you will find there is no such provision.
 If you distribute any GPL'd binaries, you must also make source available
 as discussed on this webpage.

 <p>
 <h3>A Good Example</h3>

 These days, <a href="http://www.linksys.com/">Linksys</a> is
 doing a good job at complying with the GPL, they get to be an
 example of how to do things right.  Please take a moment and
 check out what they do with
 <a href="http://www.linksys.com/download/firmware.asp?fwid=178">
 distributing the firmware for their WRT54G Router.</a>
 Following their example would be a fine way to ensure that you
 have also fulfilled your licensing obligations.


 <!--#include file="footer.html" -->
	<!--#include file="header.html" -->


	<h3>The GPL BusyBox license</h3>

	There has been some confusion in the past as to exactly what is
	required to safely distribute GPL'd software such as BusyBox as
	part of a product. To ensure that there is no confusion
	whatsoever, this page attempts to summarize what you should do to
	ensure you do not accidentally violate the law.

	<p>
	<h3>Complying with the BusyBox license is easy and completely free.</h3>

	U.S. and International Law protects copyright owners from the unauthorized
	reproduction, adaptation, display, distribution, etc of copyright protected
	works. Copyright violations (such as shipping BusyBox in a manner contrary to
	its license) are subject to severe penalties. The courts can award up to
	$150,000 per product shipped without even showing any actual loss by the
	copyright holder. Criminal penalties are available for intentional acts
	undertaken for purposes of "commercial advantage" or "private financial gain."
	In addition, if it comes to my attention that you are violating the BusyBox
	license, I will list you on the <a href="/shame.html">BusyBox Hall of Shame</a>
	webpage.

	<p>

	Nobody wants that to happen. Do everyone a favor and don't break the law -- if
	you use BusyBox, you <b>must comply with the BusyBox license</b>.

	<p>
	<h3>BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License</h3>

	BusyBox is licensed under the GNU General Public License , which
	is generally just abbreviated as the GPL license, or
	just the GPL.
	<p>
	<a href="/products.html">Anyone thinking of shipping
	BusyBox as part of a product</a> should be familiar with the
	licensing terms under which they are allowed to use and
	distribute BusyBox. You are advised to take a look over the

	<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">full text of
	the GNU General Public License</a>, and
	<li><a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html">
	Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU GPL</a>
	</ul>
	to be sure you (and your lawyers) fully understand them.

	<p>

	The following is a quick summary for the impatient. If you
	carefully follow these steps, it will ensure that you are 100%
	authorized to ship BusyBox with your product, and have no reason
	to worry about lawsuits or being listed on the <a
	href="/shame.html">BusyBox Hall of Shame</a> page. You will be
	able to sleep peacefully at night knowing you have fulfilled all
	your licensing obligations.

	<p>

	If you distribute a product, it should either be accompanied by
	<b>full source for all GPL'd products</b> (including BusyBox)
	and/or a <b>written offer</b> to supply the source for all
	GPL'd products for the cost of shipping and handling. The source
	has to be in its preferred machine readable form, so you cannot
	encrypt or obfuscate it. You are not required to provide full
	source for all the closed source applications that happen to be
	part of the system with BusyBox, though you can certainly do so
	if you feel like it. But providing source for the GPL licensed
	applications such as BusyBox is mandatory.

	<p>

	<b>Accompanied by source</b> generally means you distribute the full
	source code for all GPL'd products including BusyBox along with your
	product, such as by placing it somewhere on a driver CD. Full source
	code includes the BusyBox ".config" file used when your shipping BusyBox
	binary was compiled, and any and all modifications you made to the
	BusyBox source code.

	<p>

	<b>A written offer</b> generally means that somewhere in the
	documentation for your product, you write something like

	<blockquote>
	The GPL source code contained in this product is available as a
	free download from http://blah.blah.blah/
	</blockquote>
	Alternatively, you can offer the source code by writing
	somewhere in the documentation for your product something like
	<blockquote>
	If you would like a copy of the GPL source code contained in this
	product shipped to you on CD, please send $9.99 to <address>
	which covers the cost of preparing and mailing a CD to you.
	</blockquote>
	<p>

	Keep in mind though that if you distribute GPL'd binaries online (as is often
	done when supplying firmware updates), it is <b>highly</b> recommended that you
	make the corresponding source available online at the same place. Regardless,
	if you distribute a binary copy of BusyBox online (such as part of a firmware
	update) you <b>must</b> either make source available online (i.e.
	<b>accompanied by source</b>) and/or inform those downloading firmware updates
	of their right to obtain source (i.e. <b>a written offer</b>). Failure to do
	so is a violation of your licensing obligations.


	<p>

	Some people have the mistaken understanding that if they use unmodified
	GPL'd source code, they do not need to distribute anything. This belief
	is not correct, and is not supported by the
	<a href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">text of GPL</a>.
	Please do re-read it -- you will find there is no such provision.
	If you distribute any GPL'd binaries, you must also make source available
	as discussed on this webpage.

	<p>
	<h3>A Good Example</h3>

	These days, <a href="http://www.linksys.com/">Linksys</a> is
	doing a good job at complying with the GPL, they get to be an
	example of how to do things right. Please take a moment and
	check out what they do with
	<a href="http://www.linksys.com/download/firmware.asp?fwid=178">
	distributing the firmware for their WRT54G Router.</a>
	Following their example would be a fine way to ensure that you
	have also fulfilled your licensing obligations.


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