Re: draft for new Vim license

[Bram Moolenaar <Bram@moolenaar.net>]

Glenn Maynard wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 09, 2002 at 10:54:30AM +0100, Bram Moolenaar wrote:
> > > >        e) When the GNU General Public License applies to the changes, you can
> > > >           distribute the modified Vim under the GNU General Public License.
> > > 
> > > What if I have a copy with no changes at all, and want to distribute it
> > > linked against GPM?  I have to make a change (so it's a "modified Vim")?
> > 
> > As far as Vim is concerned, an unmodified Vim can be distributed without
> > restrictions.  You can compile an executable and include it.  That's the
> > very first paragraph of the Vim license.  It doesn't matter what license
> > applies to libraries.
> > 
> > So, if linking with a GPL library isn't a change, the first paragraph
> > applies and the Vim license doesn't restrict distribution.  This is GPL
> > compatible, the GPL license of the library overrules this, thus the GPL
> > applies.
> 
> But if there were no changes, e) isn't an option, so we're not allowed
> to change it to the GPL, so GPM's license restricts it.

That's not a problem, because without changes the first paragraph
applies, and it's compatible with the GPL (no restrictions on the
distribution).

> Maybe someone else could explain how this would be permitted, but it
> would seem simple to make e) not care if there were changes or not.

I don't think it needs to be changed.  However, someone from the FSF
should confirm that.

> > If linking with a GPL library is a change, then the new e) applies and
> > distribution under the GPL can be done as well.
> 
> That would mean that simply compiling a program is changing it.

Yeah, I wouldn't call linking a change.

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 ///  Bram Moolenaar -- Bram@moolenaar.net -- http://www.moolenaar.net  \\\
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