Need help

[Frank Cusack]

On January 17, 2007 2:08:46 PM +0530 Abhinay Sinha <sinhabhinay at gmail.com> 
wrote:
> Thanks everybody for helping me in this. I guess I will write a module
> for freeradius, GPL it, and will send it to the community for
> inclusion if they like it.
>
> I can then keep my NAS server closed. :)
>
> Will it be OK then?

Unfortunately not.

The GPL doesn't require that you send the original authors your derived
code.  It requires that if YOU DISTRIBUTE a binary of the GPL code or
derived code, that YOU DISTRIBUTE the source code at a reasonable cost
to THOSE PEOPLE that you have distributed the binary to, and without
restriction (such as limiting them to not be allowed to redistribute)
except that they may not apply additional restrictions.

That is, if you create a NAS server which runs freeradius, or code
derived from freeradius, you must make the freeradius and derived
code available to the folks whome you sell (or give away) your NAS
server to.

But since you're willing to send your module to "us", it shouldn't
be difficult for you to simply make it available yourself.  You don't
need to publish it to "the world", just to those who obtain your
NAS server (if that makes a difference).

Note that only the freeradius (or other GPL parts) of your NAS server
need to be redistributed as source.  For example if you create a
configuration GUI that isn't derived from some GPL source, you need
not distribute source code for that, even if it modifies configuration
for GPL software (ie, freeradius).

-frank