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Closed Source On Linux and BSD?

Posted by kdawson on from the license-ramification-details dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I want to start (very small) software/hardware business. The code in question will be closed source. I won't modify or use any GPL code or any 3rd-party sources. It will be my own handwritten C/C++ code from start to finish. I am planning to sell embedded-like boxes with an OS (Linux or BSD) and this code. I am more familiar with Linux but I am scared a little bit of Linux licensing, and also of Linux fanboy-ism: I personally got a 'go to hell with your @#$ closed code' slur on Slashdot. I am not a GPL guru and not a software freedom fighter. I just want to do my job and make a living." Read on for this reader's five particular questions.
My questions:

1. Can I do it with Linux today (GPL2) and tomorrow (GPL3)?

2. Can I statically link the code with Linux libraries? (My own experience shows that dynamic linking is too much to bear.)

3. Can I obfuscate my code (e.g. encode it)?

4. Could I be forced to publish this code by some 3-d party?

5. Am I correct that programming in and selling BSD-based boxes won't raise any of the above problems?

7 of 526 comments (clear)

  1. Legal advice by Random+BedHead+Ed · · Score: 5, Funny

    (Pre-Slashdot conversation ...)

    "Hi, this is Bob from Smith, Smith and Wendell returning your call. I'm afraid we're not interested in advising you on matters of software licensing and distribution, but have you considered asking a few hundred thousand opinionated geeks in a public forum? Because that's what we advise most of our potential clients to try first. Here, let me get the URL for you ..."

    1. Re:Legal advice by nomadic · · Score: 3, Funny

      Seriously, every time we've asked a lawyer about anything IT related the answer has been a definitive "maybe".

      Well that's the nature of the law, every time someone asks me a legal question it starts up a little dialogue in my head; "Well I think the law says this. But what if the other side argues that other thing. And could there be a statutory claim there? Wait, that one issue is federal, could they remove the case to federal court? Damn, this guy is expecting an answer. Well I guess I can say maybe but that usually annoys them. Is it lunchtime yet?"

  2. Go to hell with your @#$ closed code by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    That says it all.

  3. Have you asked PJ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    She is the world's expert on software licencing.

  4. Re:Answers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    3. Can I obfuscate my code (e.g. encode it)?


    Hmmmm, maybe you could compile it.
  5. Re:Answers by Arancaytar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Indeed. Select "Plain Old Text" in the list below (it's actually default for me).

    See?

    Linebreak!

    It's magic. :)

  6. Re:Answers by nschubach · · Score: 2, Funny

    You stick to English as your primary language, and I'll stick to C.

    </Just playing> ;)

    --
    Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.