What if a company distributes a copy as a trade secret?
If a company distributes a copy to you and claims it is a trade secret, the company has violated the GPL and will have to cease distribution. Note how this differs from the theft case above; the company does not intentionally distribute a copy when a copy is stolen, so in that case the company has not violated the GPL.
If a company distributes a copy to you and claims it is a trade secret, the company has violated the GPL and will have to cease distribution. Note how this differs from the theft case above; the company does not intentionally distribute a copy when a copy is stolen, so in that case the company has not violated the GPL. Even though a company may not limit your right to propagate or convey a GPLed work, you don’t have to share it. Therefore, as long as no user will publish it, a GPLed software may remain a de facto secret.
