Emelia and Lola have created a new software application that allows messaging site subscribers to analyze the message statistics in order to more easily assess and interact with followers. They have…

Question

Options

• AThey can only sell this software through a not-for-profit company.
• BThey can sell this software, but only if they make the software code available on a public server.
• CThe software enters the public domain for free use and can be altered by other programmers, who
• DThe software enters the public domain for free use, but any changes made in the future can be kept

• B
  4% (1)
• C
  87% (20)
• D
  9% (2)

Explanation

Option C is correct because the GNU GPL v3 is a copyleft license, meaning that anyone who receives the software can use, study, modify, and redistribute it - but any derivative works must also be released under the same GPL v3 terms, ensuring the open-source chain continues. This "share-alike" requirement is the defining feature that makes C the right choice.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A is wrong because GPL v3 places no restriction on who can sell the software - commercial, for-profit distribution is explicitly permitted.
• B is wrong because while GPL v3 does require source code to be made available, it is not conditioned solely on hosting it on a public server, and this option misses the copyleft requirement entirely.
• D is wrong because it describes a permissive license (like MIT or Apache), not GPL - under GPL v3, modifications cannot be kept proprietary; they must be released under the same license.

Memory tip: Think of GPL as "Give back what you Patch and Licensed." If you change it, you share it - that's the copyleft chain. If an answer says derivative changes can stay private, it's describing a permissive license, not GPL.

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