Violating the GPL

scojones

After reading this on slashdot http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/04/01/15/2350216.shtml?tid=117&tid=123&tid=185&tid=99

i was just wondering how you would find out if someone is using your code as their own in their closed source product(s)? It seems kind of impossible to me Has this happend to anyone on here?

Serbian

Hey Sjones,

I agree, it does seem impossible to find someone who is using your code, but I suppose since they are using your code, then the offending program will more than likely be doing something similar to what you have already created.

It's possible that the guy on Slashdot was checking out the competition, and decompiled the code of another program and found the violation. It's also possible he may have known just from the way the program behaved, or the output it gave him.

Just my theories anyway

mr_angry

Theoretically it would be impossible to know whether someone is using GPL code in their closed source project, unless you were to decompile their code yourself. However, I'm confident this act would be a breach of their licensing by you, and I wouldn't care to admit to that activity publicly.

The thing about GPL code is that its 'available' nature means that other developers can be seriously influenced by it, even if they don't resort to outright plagarism. It can therefore be very difficult to know (or prove in a court of law) whether they are using your precise code.

I'm not advocating plagarism, but if people want to go and steal GPL code, the chances are they can do so without getting caught. That makes them bad people though! :eek: