[Fedora-legal-list] Modding for personal use

[Tom "spot" Callaway]

On 02/11/2010 08:47 AM, Christopher Svanefalk wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I would like to hack some (maybe all) of the system scripts in
> Fedora (such as Init), but the changes will primarily be for my
> personal use for now (you know, just making my system tick
> differently). Does the obligations of the GPL (or other applicable
> license - but I am guessing all the code originating with Red Hat
> is GPL and/or LGPL?) apply to me in this case?

Christopher,

The licensing terms of the code included in Fedora would apply to you.

However, it is noteworthy that the GPL does not require that you make
your changes public, if you do not distribute your changes.

Quoting from:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0-faq.html#GPLRequireSourcePostedPublic

Does the GPL require that source code of modified versions be posted to
the public?

    The GPL does not require you to release your modified version. You
are free to make modifications and use them privately, without ever
releasing them. This applies to organizations (including companies),
too; an organization can make a modified version and use it internally
without ever releasing it outside the organization.

    But if you release the modified version to the public in some way,
the GPL requires you to make the modified source code available to the
program's users, under the GPL.

    Thus, the GPL gives permission to release the modified program in
certain ways, and not in other ways; but the decision of whether to
release it is up to you.

Hope that helps,

~spot