> This clearly violates the spirit of the gpl, but it is not clear whether it violates the license itself
The courts will decide, if the issue ever gets presented to them. But even if the (e.g) American courts reach one conclusion, the (e.g) German courts may reach the opposite one.
Red Hat’s problem is it only takes one jurisdiction to rule against them, and then they have to comply - unless that jurisdiction is so unimportant to their business that they can just walk away from it.
The courts will decide, if the issue ever gets presented to them. But even if the (e.g) American courts reach one conclusion, the (e.g) German courts may reach the opposite one.
Red Hat’s problem is it only takes one jurisdiction to rule against them, and then they have to comply - unless that jurisdiction is so unimportant to their business that they can just walk away from it.