SCO v. End Users: RedHat 9 - the small
scale offering
RedHat 9 is a Linux distribution
targeted at ordinary commodity hardware - the ubiquitous cheap PC. This
level of machine is used by some businesses and non-profits, in the
Internet field or otherwise, as well as by home users and students. It
is available without charge for download.
RedHat makes some minor modifications to the kernel, and supplies a
massive number of accompanying programs with it. RedHat 9 takes up five
CD-ROM disks, but the object code version of the distribution occupies
only the first three. The other two CD-ROMs contain the source code
corresponding to the object code version.
If RedHat allows downloads of RedHat 9 that include source code
that is not properly in their hands, they infringe both reproduction
and distribution. Those transfers are therefore shown as
barred on the linked graphic.
Common Questions:
- Is the source code contained in
the object code?
Yes, in a manner of speaking. Source code specifies what the object
code will be - to change the source code is to change the object code
that will come from it. It's like a translation. As such, object code
is a derivative work based on the source code.