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If they don't modify gpl code but just configure existing software and add their own packages, do they still have to pub everything?

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Yes, you at least have to say where to get the source from if you publish/distribute binaries to others.

but only if their binary is linked against a gpl library..?

They're shipping Linux. There's certainly plenty of GPL binaries in their system.

Nope, it is enough to distribute any binary made with GPL source code to have an obligation to publish the code. As soon as you use GPL code, no matter if you modify it or not, you have to re-distribute the source code you used.

"The source code you used" which you obtained from GPL sources.

You do not have to distribute proprietary source code which has not been incorporated into the GPL code (the definition of this varies depending on whether the GPL code is GPL, LGPL, etc.)

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