YDL v4.0 source code?

[Jon Cortelyou]

Has it been policy Terra Soft Solutions policy to delay the public release
of their Yellow Dog Linux version for a month or more? Historically, what
has been the typical delay from private major version release to a public
one?

Also where is the source for YDL v4.0? Selling a version of Linux without
public access to the source code is a violation of the Gnu Public License
isn't it?

-- taken from the GPL --
3. You may copy and distribute the Program (or a work based on it, under
Section 2) in object code or executable form under the terms of Sections 1
and 2 above provided that you also do one of the following:

a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source
code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on
a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to
give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically
performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the
corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1
and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to
distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for
noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object
code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b
above.)

[Michel Klijmij]

On Tue, 19 Oct 2004 04:47:21 +0000, "Jon Cortelyou"

Post by Jon Cortelyou
Has it been policy Terra Soft Solutions policy to delay the public release
of their Yellow Dog Linux version for a month or more? Historically, what
has been the typical delay from private major version release to a public
one?

That varies a bit, but it isn't uncommon, nor forbidden, for a company to
do that. The free download is only a service they offer out of goodness,
after all.

Post by Jon Cortelyou
Also where is the source for YDL v4.0?

Usually there are 3 or 4 install CDs and 3 or 4 source CDs, but most
people only download the install CDs. Rest assured that the sources will
be available. Otherwise, it would indeed be a violation of the GPL and
Terrasoft would be in problems.

If you can't wait for the new stuff, try Ubuntu. It's good enough for me
not to want to go back to YDL.

[Jon Cortelyou]

Hi Michel,

Thanks for the reply. I'll check out Ubuntu!

Jon

Post by Michel Klijmij
On Tue, 19 Oct 2004 04:47:21 +0000, "Jon Cortelyou"

Post by Jon Cortelyou
Has it been policy Terra Soft Solutions policy to delay the public release
of their Yellow Dog Linux version for a month or more? Historically, what
has been the typical delay from private major version release to a public
one?

That varies a bit, but it isn't uncommon, nor forbidden, for a company to
do that. The free download is only a service they offer out of goodness,
after all.

Post by Jon Cortelyou
Also where is the source for YDL v4.0?

Usually there are 3 or 4 install CDs and 3 or 4 source CDs, but most
people only download the install CDs. Rest assured that the sources will
be available. Otherwise, it would indeed be a violation of the GPL and
Terrasoft would be in problems.
If you can't wait for the new stuff, try Ubuntu. It's good enough for me
not to want to go back to YDL.
--
Kind regards,
Michel Klijmij
ICQ/MSN in headers http://michel.klijmij.net/

[cutterjohn]

Hello,

I currently run YDL 3.0.1 on a G3/500 ibook(ice), and as far as I have
seen Terrasoft at least delays binary releases to non-"club" members sort
of like Mandrake does. IIRC this started with 3.0.1, but I was late to
2.3 so I missed the initial release. As to the source, I suspect that
that is also delayed because they setup their servers, essentialy as a
combo binary/source release directory structure ala RedHat, and so it is
probably easier for them to just roll out the public release all at once.

As a side, I think that binary availablility is only a courtesy
type/advertising(?) thing and, that, also the source availability online
also would seem to be a courtesy as well, since they could make you
request it of them, and then send you a (650M*4)/1.44M floppies(too lazy
to crunch that) or some other equally obnoxious mechanism, as the only
stipulation looks to be the machine readable clause.

Now, aside from all of this, YDL is ok, but I've been thinking about
switching to Debian Sarge as it seems to have more up-to-date &
easy-to-grab packages than YDL. (Compiling this and that from source is
getting to be a drag, especially when the sources weigh in at 40M+ and
then may require some minor "corrections" to actually even compile. Debian
looks to be fairly popular for powerpc on top of the package availabity.
My only concern about moving is rebuilding my setup, and all of the items
that I added and aren't in Debian's much larger package repository.)

Lastly if you're looking for ppc distros, there's also Gentoo(don't bother
if Debian frightens you, and/or if you don't have broadband), Mandrake,
and Crux(sp?) and some others, check linuxiso.org, and maybe distrowatch.