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Re: Results of "downloading compressed program images" request


	You don't have to force the unlinked code on
	them, just make it available if they ask for it, and you have to tell
	them that they can ask for it.

It is true that you don't have to give the unlinked code along with the
product, but it is the easiest way to satisfy the requirements of the LGPL.

You can instead give a written offer as you mentioned, but if you do this,
then the offer must remain valid for 3 years.  In the example that you used,
using a URL, the URL must remain valid for 3 years, or else you have violated
the LGPL.  If you release multiple products, using slightly different versions
of the library, then you need a different URL for each library version, each
of which must remain valid for 3 years.  For a large company, with many
products, this can easily cause unacceptable maintenance and liability
problems.  It is much easier to just include the unlinked code with the
product, and this immediately satisfies the terms of the LGPL, and hence
avoids the 3 year liability that comes with the written offer.

The liability risks may not seem significant to you personally, but they can
be for a large company.  Cygnus always includes sources with binary
distributions that include GPL/LPGL code, precisely to avoid these liability
problems.

Jim