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I am confused. Below are all the paragraphs that list the words "Source Code" in the GPL. I do not see anything that says you HAVE to put it on CD. Also it seems to me that you only have to give the source to people who actually get the software from your company. Meaning that if your friend gives you a copy of Linspire or if you don't own a copy you bought yourself, then Linspire is not required to give you a copy of the source code. It says" if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the SOURCE code." So NO they are not required to give you the source on CD nor do they have to give it to you if you did not get your copy of Linspire through them or if you don't even have a copy of Linspire.

GPL Text:

1. When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not price. Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for this service if you wish), that you receive SOURCE code or can get it if you want it, that you can change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs; and that you know you can do these things.

2. For example, if you distribute copies of such a program, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that you have. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the SOURCE code. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights.

3. You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program's source code as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice and disclaimer of warranty; keep intact all the notices that refer to this License and to the absence of any warranty; and give any other recipients of the Program a copy of this License along with the Program.

4. a) Accompany it with the complete corresponding machine-readable source code, which must be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

5. b) Accompany it with a written offer, valid for at least three years, to give any third party, for a charge no more than your cost of physically performing source distribution, a complete machine-readable copy of the corresponding source code, to be distributed under the terms of Sections 1 and 2 above on a medium customarily used for software interchange; or,

6. c) Accompany it with the information you received as to the offer to distribute corresponding source code. (This alternative is allowed only for noncommercial distribution and only if you received the program in object code or executable form with such an offer, in accord with Subsection b above.)

The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for making modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to control compilation and installation of the executable. However, as a special exception, the source code distributed need not include anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the executable.

If distribution of executable or object code is made by offering access to copy from a designated place, then offering equivalent access to copy the source code from the same place counts as distribution of the source code, even though third parties are not compelled to copy the source along with the object code.

Above it says " You may copy and distribute verbatim copies of the Program's SOURCE CODE as you receive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and appropriately publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice and disclaimer of warranty; keep intact all the notices that refer to this License and to the absence of any warranty; and give any other recipients of the Program a copy of this License along with the Program.

In any medium is what I read. Maybe I am smoking something but I am not getting what you are saying. I think Linspire is fine. Also I think Linspire has been asked this question 1000 times and that is why they may have not rushed to answer you. I also assume they have plenty of lawyers who have read the GPL very, very well.