Complying when you distribute.
WHAT MOST LICENCES REQUIRE ON DISTRIBUTION
Including the licence text Retaining copyright notices Stating what was modified, in some cases Providing source code, for copyleft components
WHY NOTICES MATTER
Their removal is the commonest and simplest violation.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
A notices file accompanying anything you distribute.
WHAT IT SHOULD CONTAIN
Every component included Its licence The required notices and attributions
HOW TO PRODUCE IT
From the inventory, generated.
WHY GENERATED
Manual notice files become incomplete.
WHAT COPYLEFT COMPONENTS REQUIRE
Source code made available to recipients.
WHAT THAT MEANS PRACTICALLY
Providing the source, or a written offer to supply it.
WHAT SOURCE MUST BE PROVIDED
The version actually distributed, including any modifications.
WHY THE ACTUAL VERSION
Providing a different version does not satisfy the obligation.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
That you can produce the exact source for anything you shipped.
WHY
It requires keeping it, and it is frequently not kept.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT MODIFICATIONS
Whether they must be marked and disclosed.
WHAT TO AVOID
Combining components whose licences are incompatible.
WHY
Some licences cannot be combined in a distributed work.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Compatibility, before building.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DISCOVER NON-COMPLIANCE
Address it promptly.
WHY
Most projects respond reasonably to prompt correction and badly to concealment.
WHAT TO OBTAIN
Advice, where the exposure is significant.
