Re: cdrecord: weird GPL interpretation
On Fri, Sep 03, 2004 at 09:24:00AM -0400, Brian Thomas Sniffen wrote:
> > The two issues mentioned in this thread influence different parts of cdrtools:
> >
> > * defaults.c /*
> > * WARNING you are only allowed to change this filename if you also
> <snip>
> > This one is used and linked against all applications of cdrtools since 2.01a26
> > (previously only in cdrecord). If it is GPL incompatible it indeed breaks the
> > e.g. mkisofs' and cdda2wav's original copyrights.
>
> That's certainly GPL-incompatible. It's an extra restriction. Since
> it affects functional behavior, I'd call it non-free. "You must
> change this filename" requirements are generally considered non-free,
> so I'd expect "You may not change this filename without paying this
> fee" requirements to be non-free.
Why do we have to use the word "fee" to describe this sort of requirement?
It's unnatural, and seems contrived to fit DFSG#1, which is unnecessary,
since "fees" are not the only sort of restrictions prohibited by DFSG#1.
I agree that this is non-free, as is any requirement that I explain myself
before distributing a modification.
--
Glenn Maynard
Reply to: