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On Wed, Feb 18, 2004 at 11:50:27AM -0500, Donnie Berkholz wrote: |
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> Here's a paragraph I wrote earlier: |
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> |
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> "If Gentoo distributes a GPL program or driver that can build against |
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> any of the XFree86-licensed sources (for example, the SDK), Gentoo |
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> probably violates the GPL. If Gentoo distributes a GPL XFree86 driver |
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> (for example, x11-misc/synaptics) that can load into this X server, |
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> Gentoo probably violates the GPL." |
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Well, I'm probably just not nuanced enough with this kind of licensing |
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mess, but so long as Gentoo isn't providing the actual code for 4.4, |
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compiled or otherwise, I'm afraid I just don't see the problem. Yes, |
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somebody could use an XFree 4.4 ebuild, link some other programs against |
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it, and then be violating the GPL, but I don't see how that's any |
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different from someone merely installing XFree 4.4 themselves, or |
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creating their own ebuild for 4.4, and doing the same. |
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One of the things I've always liked about Gentoo is that since it |
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rarely actually *distributes* software, it's just providing instructions |
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on how to get the software up and running. You may be providing some |
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GPL driver that *can* be linked against 4.4, but it wouldn't be violating |
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the GPL itself. |
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But regardless, like I said, I've doubtless got an incomplete |
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understanding of the whole situation, so I suppose I'll just keep |
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quiet about it. :) |
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Thanks for the explanations, |
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CJ |
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-- |
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WOW: Kakistocracy | "The ships hung in the sky in much the same |
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apocalyptech.com/wow | way that bricks don't." - Douglas Adams, |
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pez@××××××××××××.com | _The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy_ |
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-- |
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