I would like to base my distro on DSL

Forum: DSL Ideas and Suggestions
Topic: I would like to base my distro on DSL
started by: Thaidog

Posted by Thaidog on July 27 2005,14:59

My friends an I are working on a Live CD called Jimmy Hat Linux... it's supposed to be a small distro mainly used for Windows virus removal and security tools. We would like to be able to base it off of DSL... is that possible?

Of course, any profits generated by JHL, Inc. will be up for grants

Posted by godzone on July 29 2005,20:46

I am trying to do something similar, but for a different purpose. My understanding is that so long as all the copyright and such stuff for DSL is left in, you can build another distro, but would apprecuae confirmation.

Posted by cbagger01 on July 30 2005,03:25

As far as I know, everything in DSL is freely distributable and in most cases GPL or LGPL.

However, this is different than "freeware".

In a nutshell, it means that you can redistribute DSL as-is or you can develop it further as you see fit into some other project. However, you must continue to keep the original license and copyright information intact, if you customize any open source programs and recompile them you must provide a means for others to get a copy of the new source code and last but not least you should continue to GIVE THE ORIGNAL AUTHORS CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.

The last part is not a legal requirement but instead is just good manners.

If you check out the DSL relatives page on the DSL web site, you will see that there are others that have based their distros in large part or in small part due to some general concepts, specific ideas or actual code that was used by DSL.

This is similar to the DSL project itself, which is currently based on a core system that is a stripped down version of KNOPPIX 3.4 livecd.

So don't worry, be happy. Go for it. Just be sure to follow the rules and be nice and give credit back to where it belongs.

Good Luck.