any gpl issues by selling partition-image of ubuntu + nvidia ++

krisealv · 07-22-2007, 11:55 AM

I'm toying with the idea of creating partition images of ubuntu installs for specific laptops. Everything tuned and tweaked so that it works.

The problem is, if I were to do this on my own laptop; a T61, I would have to include the Nvidia drivers, and drivers for the wireless card. These are not open source or gpl-ed

Is there something I should do if I were to sell such an image? It would be sold in a shop, not online.

pixellany · 07-22-2007, 01:57 PM

WANL (We are not lawyers)
In general, the GPL is about requiring that you keep open that which came to you as open....thus you have to provide source code if requested.

If you are in business, you (and your lawyer) should read the Ubuntu License plus the licenses for whatever drivers you are including.

jlliagre · 07-22-2007, 02:44 PM

According to its 2.1.2 paragraph, it seems the NVidia license ( http://www.nvidia.com/object/nv_swlicense.html ) allows you to redistribute the Linux driver.

You say nothing about where you get the Wifi card drivers so you carefully need to read their licenses as pixellany already stated.

You may also need to somewhat rename the distribution as it won't be exactly Ubuntu anymore.

Of course I'm neither a lawyer, so I may be horribly wrong ...