I\'m designing a distro and some of the software packages included are maintaine

Question

I'm designing a distro and some of the software packages included are maintained in such a way that my source repository doesn't actually include the source code, but they are included as an svn:externals property or a list of read-only repository URLs and are checked into the source tree before building.

Sometimes, the software requires a patch or two in order to build or work properly. These patches are included in the source tree and are automatically applied but not included in the end result. The repository is public and anyone can get the patches, which are maintained regularly.

My question is, is any of this setup violating the GPL? I really want to distribute under the GPL or compatible license, but I'm not really well-versed in legalese. Would I have to host repository snapshots once I publish in order to be in full compliance, or could I just host the patches?

Explanation / Answer

The GPL requires you to provide that the users you distribute your code to can also contribute and distribute their own changes.
Some GPL commentators go so far as claiming that you should distribute the build system, and so can only use FOSS tools and even a FOSS OS!

The GPL faq does say that you need to distribute the source even if you simply take the LINUX system and repackage your own distribution. Distributing diffs isn't enough

Personally I would have said, that if you distributing patches to a well known and widely available packages then that is making it easier for people to enhance and further distribute your contributions than if they were forced to use your source tree of a well known package en-bloc and were forced to integrate any changes to the main package themselves.

I would ask myself, am I doing this to further the aims of the GPL, or to work around it - ie. Don't be evil (tm)

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