Table of Contents

• Basic questions about the GPL, the GNU Project, and the Free Software Foundation
• General understanding of the GPL
• Using the GPL for your programs
• Distribution of programs released under the GPL
• Using programs released under the GPL when writing other programs
• Combining work with code released under the GPL
• Questions about violations of the GPL

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Basic questions about the GPL, the GNU Project, and the Free Software Foundation

• What does “GPL” stand for?
• Does free software mean using the GPL?
• Does all GNU software use the GNU GPL as its license?
• Does using the GPL for a program make it GNU software?
• Can I use the GPL for something other than software?
• Why don't you use the GPL for manuals?
• Are there translations of the GPL into other languages?
• Why are some GNU libraries released under the ordinary GPL rather than the Lesser GPL?
• Why does the FSF require that contributors to FSF-copyrighted programs assign copyright to the FSF? If I hold copyright on a GPL'ed program, should I do this, too? If so, how?
• Can I modify the GPL and make a modified license?

General understanding of the GPL

• Why does the GPL permit users to publish their modified versions?
• Does the GPL require that source code of modified versions be posted to the public?
• Can I have a GPL-covered program and an unrelated nonfree program on the same computer?
• If I know someone has a copy of a GPL-covered program, can I demand he give me a copy?
• What does this “written offer valid for any third party” mean? Does that mean everyone in the world can get the source to any GPL'ed program no matter what?
• The GPL says that modified versions, if released, must be “licensed … to all third parties.” Who are these third parties?
• Does the GPL allow me to sell copies of the program for money?
• Does the GPL allow me to charge a fee for downloading the program from my distribution site?
• Does the GPL allow me to require that anyone who receives the software must pay me a fee and/or notify me?
• If I distribute GPL'd software for a fee, am I required to also make it available to the public without a charge?
• Does the GPL allow me to distribute a copy under a nondisclosure agreement?
• Does the GPL allow me to distribute a modified or beta version under a nondisclosure agreement?
• Does the GPL allow me to develop a modified version under a nondisclosure agreement?
• Am I required to claim a copyright on my modifications to a GPL-covered program?
• If a program combines public-domain code with GPL-covered code, can I take the public-domain part and use it as public domain code?
• I want to get credit for my work. I want people to know what I wrote. Can I still get credit if I use the GPL?
• What does it mean to say that two licenses are “compatible”?
• What does it mean to say a license is “compatible with the GPL”?
• Why is the original BSD license incompatible with the GPL?
• If I use a piece of software that has been obtained under the GNU GPL, am I allowed to modify the original code into a new program, then distribute and sell that new program commercially?
• How does the LGPL work with Java?

Using the GPL for your programs

• Could you give me step by step instructions on how to apply the GPL to my program?
• Why should I use the GNU GPL rather than other free software licenses?
• Why does the GPL require including a copy of the GPL with every copy of the program?
• What if the work is not much longer than the license itself?
• Can I omit the preamble of the GPL, or the instructions for how to use it on your own programs, to save space?
• How do I get a copyright on my program in order to release it under the GPL?
• What if my school might want to make my program into its own proprietary software product?
• I would like to release a program I wrote under the GNU GPL, but I would like to use the same code in nonfree programs.
• Can the developer of a program who distributed it under the GPL later license it to another party for exclusive use?
• Can the US Government release a program under the GNU GPL?
• Why should programs say “Version 2 of the GPL or any later version”?
• How does the GPL apply to fonts?
• What license should I use for website maintenance system templates?
• Can I release a program under the GPL which I developed using nonfree tools?

Distribution of programs released under the GPL

• Can I release a modified version of a GPL-covered program in binary form only?
• I downloaded just the binary from the net. If I distribute copies, do I have to get the source and distribute that too?
• I want to distribute binaries via physical media without accompanying sources. Can I provide source code by FTP instead of by mail order?
• My friend got a GPL-covered binary with an offer to supply source, and made a copy for me. Can I use the offer to obtain the source?
• Can I put the binaries on my