[cryptonector]

> or citing https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html: > If you commercially distribute binaries not accompanied with source code, the GPL says you must provide a written offer to distribute the source code later. When users non-commercially redistribute the binaries they received from you, they must pass along a copy of this written offer. This means that people who did not get the binaries directly from you can still receive copies of the source code, along with the written offer.

So this is very interesting. Say I want a copy of source code for X and you tell me you have it, but you're not an authoritative source of source code for X: how can I trust your copy, if I choose to get it from you?

Redistribution of sources is a nice right to have, but most people prefer to get them from authoritative sources as long as they're available. As long as IBM makes these sources available for a nominal fee, they're within the GPL, and people who want them should just go through that process.

> so: there is explicitly no limitation allowed on the receiving of the source code. Red Hat is putting a limitation on it.

IBM can't legally not provide a copy of the sources for a nominal fee. And they can't limit what you do with them as far as licensing goes, but it may well be that legally speaking they can terminate rights not under the GPL. Maybe this is just a loophole in the GPL. Maybe the courts will accept it, maybe not.