| 1 |
On Wed, 2004-02-18 at 12:50, CJ Kucera wrote: |
| 2 |
> On Wed, Feb 18, 2004 at 11:50:27AM -0500, Donnie Berkholz wrote: |
| 3 |
> > Here's a paragraph I wrote earlier: |
| 4 |
> > |
| 5 |
> > "If Gentoo distributes a GPL program or driver that can build against |
| 6 |
> > any of the XFree86-licensed sources (for example, the SDK), Gentoo |
| 7 |
> > probably violates the GPL. If Gentoo distributes a GPL XFree86 driver |
| 8 |
> > (for example, x11-misc/synaptics) that can load into this X server, |
| 9 |
> > Gentoo probably violates the GPL." |
| 10 |
> |
| 11 |
> Well, I'm probably just not nuanced enough with this kind of licensing |
| 12 |
> mess, but so long as Gentoo isn't providing the actual code for 4.4, |
| 13 |
> compiled or otherwise, I'm afraid I just don't see the problem. Yes, |
| 14 |
> somebody could use an XFree 4.4 ebuild, link some other programs against |
| 15 |
> it, and then be violating the GPL, but I don't see how that's any |
| 16 |
> different from someone merely installing XFree 4.4 themselves, or |
| 17 |
> creating their own ebuild for 4.4, and doing the same. |
| 18 |
|
| 19 |
Our *distribution* probably would not be affected, but our LiveCDs, |
| 20 |
GameCDs, and GRP definitely would be affected. |
| 21 |
|
| 22 |
> One of the things I've always liked about Gentoo is that since it |
| 23 |
> rarely actually *distributes* software, it's just providing instructions |
| 24 |
> on how to get the software up and running. You may be providing some |
| 25 |
> GPL driver that *can* be linked against 4.4, but it wouldn't be violating |
| 26 |
> the GPL itself. |
| 27 |
> |
| 28 |
> But regardless, like I said, I've doubtless got an incomplete |
| 29 |
> understanding of the whole situation, so I suppose I'll just keep |
| 30 |
> quiet about it. :) |
| 31 |
> |
| 32 |
> Thanks for the explanations, |
| 33 |
> CJ |
| 34 |
-- |
| 35 |
Chris Gianelloni |
| 36 |
Developer, Gentoo Linux |
| 37 |
Games Team |
| 38 |
|
| 39 |
Is your power animal a pengiun? |
Archives