Re: Final text of AGPL v3
On 20/11/2007, Iain Nicol <iain@thenicols.net> wrote:
> > One thing we did not change is the phrase "interacting with [the
> > software] remotely through a computer network." Many commenters
> > expressed concern that this would include not only traditional GUIs
> > that users manipulate for web-based applications, but also other kinds
> > of network interaction, such as sending requests to an IMAP or HTTP
> > server.
> >
> > In fact, we did intend such a broad reading. The GNU AGPL needs to
> > cover all the various protocols and means for network interaction in
> > order to fully achieve its purpose.
> > [...]
> > bringing all kinds of network interaction under the license's scope is
> > the best way to ensure that the license will function as designed
OK, that's very helpful, thanks. Reading the explanation, though, it
still seems to suggest that we're talking about the application at the
top of the stack in terms of how the remote user interacts with the
system. It's just that the manner of that interaction will not only be
by means of a GUI, but may also be by IMAP or HTTP requests etc.
The point is that the AGPL is concerned with the "point of
interaction" rather than the other applications that might be involved
"behind the scenes". But I appreciate that means that some of the
examples I gave in an earlier email (e.g. the web server) may well
fall within the scope of clause 13's coverage.
John
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