Re: Plugins, libraries, licenses and Debian

[Alexander Cherepanov <cherepan@mccme.ru>]

17-Dec-03 07:26 Anthony DeRobertis wrote:
> Emphasis added, of course. So, when I write a plugin I can't claim to
> have created a compilation of the plugin and the host, because the
> plugin is not preexisting.

> Following the readme file's statement that A is a plugin for HOST
> certainly does not create a compilation original work of authorship.
> Even if it did, that copyright would belong to the Debian maintainer,
> and he certainly can't sue Debian for distributing it after he uploads
> it.[1]

Why copyright for host+plugin is important at all? GPL 2b:

    b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in
    whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any
    part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third
    parties under the terms of this License.

It doesn't talk about derivative work or compilation, it talks about
"any work ... that ... contains". The only reason why the whole CD (or
CD set) is not required to be under GPL is a special exception about
"mere aggregation".

Sasha