Re: About first sale doctrine

[Hyman Rosen]

Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
> I can't follow all the mails on this list, but just to distill the
> discussion down: Is someone on this list claiming after Company X sells a
> source+binary copy of some GPL'd software to Buyer Y, that, in the USA,
> Buyer Y can then pass on or resell the binary (without the source) without
> being bound by the requirements of the GPL?
>
> Is that the essence of the argument?

Yes, precisely. Under the first sale doctrine, you may resell
or otherwise dispose of a legally acquired copy of a copyrighted
work. Permission from the copyright owner is not required.