The-Source.com » SoftBound http://www.the-source.com Free and Open Source Software News and Opinion Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:04:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 GPL Endrun: Value-Added Binaries http://www.the-source.com/2010/03/gpl-endrun-value-added-binaries/ http://www.the-source.com/2010/03/gpl-endrun-value-added-binaries/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:30:06 +0000 Jason http://www.the-source.com/?p=564 An interesting hypothetical over at ESR’s blog, “Plug for a worthy project: Softbound“. I encourage you to read the post and commentary after my brief summary, so you can see if your thoughts change after reading the discussion there!

The Facts

SoftBound is a BSD-licensed “value-added” compiler. Give it some source code and it can produce “hardened” binaries that are more secure because they are immune to buffer overflows. It makes no changes to the source code.

The Hypothetical

A company, using a proprietary and closed “value-added” compiler compiles GPL software and sells the binaries. Source code available. Binaries locked up tight.

The Question 

Is this a problem? By “problem” I mean is this forbidden under the GPL (v2 or v3), and if it is or isn’t should it or should it not be?

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