You are here

AbiWord: Source

6 posts / 0 new
Last post
Anonymous (not verified)
AbiWord: Source

The webpage for Portable AbiWord says it's GPLd, and the download includes a copy of the GPL. Where is the source for it? Pointing me at the main AbiWord website does not suffice.

Ryan McCue
Ryan McCue's picture
Offline
Last seen: 14 years 6 months ago
Joined: 2006-01-06 21:27
Not support question

This has nothing to do with the portable version.
Anyway: http://www.abisource.com/developers/
----
R McCue

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

cypherpunks (not verified)
The GPL says:

The GPL says:

3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it, under Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:

a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)

a) is not satisfied (no code on this website). b) is not satisfied (no written offer). c) is not satisfied - no information on where to download it. I don't know whether simply repackaging the code rules out c), but regardless, none of them have been satisfied, therefore you are violating the GPL. Additionally, where is the code to the portable launcher (which is supposedly GPL)?

Ryan McCue
Ryan McCue's picture
Offline
Last seen: 14 years 6 months ago
Joined: 2006-01-06 21:27
Answers

c) is satisfied, I told you above.
Code is in PortableXCode.
----
R McCue

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

Bruce Pascoe
Offline
Last seen: 12 years 2 months ago
Joined: 2006-01-15 16:14
...

The Portable AbiWord launcher is not, legally speaking, a derivative work of AbiWord. It's a front-end that simply automates the process of portably launching an unmodified copy of AbiWord from a USB key. No AbiWord code is used in the launcher, meaning that this whole argument is built on a moot point.

...and the code for the launcher is in PortableAbiWordCode; the file is PortableAbiWord.nsi. It's an NSIS script.

John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Online
Last seen: 4 min 40 sec ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Code and Clarification

Alright guys, lemme weigh in here...

Basically, according to the GPL, if you distribute the binary, you must distribute the source code. So, even if you have a completely unmodified copy of AbiWord and are distributing the binaries, you also have to distribute the source code with it. Now, granted, hardly any websites actually follow this part of the GPL. (Example: Try finding AbiWord at download.com or any other software website... see if you can find a mention of source code anywhere. You can't. They don't make it available. They're all violating the GPL.)

The source code for AbiWord is available from the Portable AbiWord SourceForge project site, the same place you're downloading the binaries from. Since a couple people have asked, I've actually added a link to the download details section in addition to the SourceForge icon link and made the source more obvious in the SF project. (I'll be updating the other SF projects to do the same over the next couple days as I messed up the source downloads on a couple of em.)

The source code for the launcher is included directly in the download you got. It's in the directory called PortableAbiWordCode as a file called PortableAbiWord.nsi.

Now, cypherpunks, I think some of the reaction of other forum members is due to the fact that you registered on this site solely to make what essentially feels like an accusation. You didn't just ask a question. You followed it up with the sentence about pointing to the AbiWord website not being sufficient, as if that's what you expected someone to answer. Remember, you're dealing with a website full of unpaid volunteers (like me) that are working to bring you free software. Perhaps keeping that in mind when you post would be in order.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Topic locked