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On Fri, 2004-02-27 at 10:52, Phil Richards wrote: |
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> On 2004-02-27, John Nilsson <john@×××××××.nu> wrote: |
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> > It is not the same thing. If Xfree86 can be argued to be a standard |
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> > componet of a system Gentoo can COMPLY with the Xfree86 License AND be |
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> > compatible with the GPL for those applications linking wiht Xfree86. |
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> |
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> Yes, but the point is it *can't* be argued sensibly. The argument put |
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> forward was (basically) "it makes the system more acceptable to end-users". |
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> Well, so would including "Microsoft Office". |
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> |
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> You *don't* need XFree86 to make a Linux-based operating system. Period. |
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> No question, no argument, no discussion. It is therefore *not* one of |
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> the "standard libraries that accompany the operating system" - the only |
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> get-out-of-jail-free card that the GPL allows you to play. It is an |
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> add-on to the core operating system for specific end-users - those that |
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> want a user interface. |
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> |
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> You could build a distribution that didn't violate the GPL, but you |
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> might find that people wouldn't like it very much - there are lots of |
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> things that are GPL'd that you would no longer be able to distrbute with |
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> it. (Not everything, only those that link against X - like Gnome, gtk...) |
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> |
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> I think these arguments have been done to death already... I'll shut up now. |
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> |
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> phil |
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|
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I think you are wrong. ;) I think it *can* be argued sensibly. For these |
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reasons. |
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|
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1. Virtually all operating systems today ships with some GUI. |
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2. GNU (as in Gnu Public License) seems to regard the X Windows System |
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as a core system component. |
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|
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All you *need* for a linux based operating system is linux and a static |
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binary called /sbin/init. Clearly the "Base system" referred to in GPL |
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extends to more than that. |
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|
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Even though I argue for compatibility, I still think it is correct to |
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not ship XFree86. Mostly because Gentoo would and the OSS world would be |
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far better of with a more "geekish" and open development of the X11 |
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implementation. |
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|
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-John |