Article View: gnu.misc.discuss
Article #72399Yet more GNU licensings...
From: Matt Kennel
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1992 04:06
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1992 04:06
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Ok, time for all you gnurds out there:
Here are a few questions... I'll start out easy, but get harder, and
end with a "zinger".
Suppose gnu.o is covered by the normal (GPL) license, say
gnu.o is a part of emacs.
Q1: If I write matt.o and sell matt.o and gnu.o and gnu.c,
intending for them to be linked, must I provide matt.c?
Must I allow the recipient to in turn give away all of these
without giving anything to me?
Q2: Repeat with GPL->LGPL.
Q3: Suppose, using the LGPL version of gnu.o, I provide in addition,
executable "matt" which is simply matt.o and gnu.o linked together
for a certain architecture. Does anything change? (I think it
stupid if this makes a difference, personally)
Q4: Now, suppose I write version 1 of Magic Frobozz Compiler-Compiler
Meta-Compiler Construction Kit Interpreter, and give it away
under the GNU GPL license.
A little while passes, and after a while I rewrite things to
be version 2, with some more enhancements, etc. Am I allowed to
sell this version in software "hoarder" fashion to Bill "I sold
my soul to the devil for 5 gigabucks" Gates, under traditional
proprietary license? In other words, does the GNU virus infect the
original owner? Does anything change, if I incorporate into V2,
improvments that the general public at large have sent in during their
use of V1.* ?
Q5: Does GNU have a position on the subject of entertainment "software",
a.k.a. CD's and soon, digital video? With the advent of cheap,
identical digital copying, is there any real difference between CD's
and computer programs?
For example,
"People will no longer be able to make money by hoarding and selling
recorded music data files, which can be copied at no physical cost
just like computer programs, but the good ones will be able to sell
their expertise at making good recordings and choosing pleasing
arrangements, for concerts, weddings, or radio-station play lists.
Musicians can still give live concerts, but won't be able to
prohibit digital recording of these concerts. Bootleg will be a
thing of the past, and there will be a larger array of truly Free
music for public benefit.
...
Anytime somebody uses a theme from a GPL protected piece, they
must provide their entire work in both recorded (binary) format, as
well as in source (music notation) for minimal charge, and cannot
prohibit others from freely redistributing their work."
Matt Kennel
mbk@inls1.ucsd.edu
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X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 1025b4,d66b509e4566f4e0 X-Google-Attributes: gid1025b4,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 1992-02-06 22:09:20 PST Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!sparky!uunet!think.com!mips!swrinde!network.ucsd.edu!lyapunov.ucsd.edu!mbk From: mbk@lyapunov.ucsd.edu (Matt Kennel) Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Yet more GNU licensings... Summary: Even A Talmudic Scholar would give up on these ones... Message-ID: <kp41dnINNr7m@network.ucsd.edu> Date: 7 Feb 92 04:06:15 GMT References: <28526@vedge.UUCP> <DJM.92Feb6223820@frob.eng.umd.edu> Organization: Intstitute for Nonlinear Science, UCSD Lines: 63 NNTP-Posting-Host: lyapunov.ucsd.edu