How come GPL code becomes un-GPL and then disappears

[Ian Stephen]

----- Original Message -----
From: GMAIL - James McDonald <james at jamesmcdonald.id.au>
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009 4:25 pm
Subject: How come GPL code becomes un-GPL and then disappears
To: Linux tips and tricks <linux-users at linux-sxs.org>

> A long while ago a company named Postpath developed an Exchange 
> drop-in replacement using a host of OSS. Postpath was then purchased
> by Cisco for a squintillion dollars.
> 
> If the purpose of the GPL is to keep code open and free. How is 
> it that the code doesn't appear to be available in the public domain?

Nothing requires anyone to host that GPL code online.  Cisco may
well still have that old code rattling around in a drawer of old code
somewhere.  If they put it into something non-free there may be a case
for copyleft violation, but that's another issue from the GPL code being 
in public domain.

I wonder what would happen if you asked Cisco for a copy?

IanS