🚀 go-pugleaf

mib@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Michael I Bushnell) writes:
> In article <NB38eB19w164w@mantis.co.uk> mathew@mantis.co.uk (Lieutenant 030) 
>    So basically, I can completely bypass the GPL so long as the customer has
>    his own linker?
> 
> You can't put them in the same file.  Any changes you make to FSF
> source have to be given (and identified as your changes).  Any code
> you write which is legally derivative has to be under the GPL.  You'll
> have to pay your lawyer, not ours, but that's the same with anything.
> If you don't read the source, you are guaranteed it's not derivative,
> so you aren't worse off than with commercial software.  This is not
> "bypassing" the GPL.

Hypothetical scenario:

I obtain a copy of GNU Emacs, and set about porting it to some new
architecture Foo.  I identify all the functions which don't work for some
reason on the new architecture, and document what they are supposed to
do.

I then give the documents to a programmer, who writes a set of proprietary
functions performing the appropriate tasks on our new architecture.

I modify the "free" GNU Emacs code to make it use external versions of
the duff functions, and #ifdef out the duff ones (or just delete them).

I distribute this modified non-functional "Emacs library" under the terms of
the GPL.  I sell my proprietary functions as "Emacs for Foo", supplying
a small install program which links them with the "Emacs library" to create
an executable.  I can even provide the "Emacs library" on the same disk.

I now have a port of Emacs to a new architecture.  I can sell it and
prohibit redistribution.  People can demand the "Emacs library" source and
can copy it freely, but it in fact is less useful than a plain old copy of
GNU Emacs.

That's what I mean by "...I can completely bypass the GPL."


mathew

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