Re: Having a non-free and a non-cd branch?

[Philip Hands <phil@hands.com>]

Kevin Atkinson <kevina@clark.net> wrote:
> When they say under the GPL tsurly hey only mean for program using Qt
> and not Qt itself.

The GPL applies to ALL the parts that go to make a program.  The only 
exception being the default system libraries that one can guarantee to part of 
any system on which a person might want to run a program.  Qt does not qualify 
for this exception (I don't have it on any of my systems ;-)

The idea that getting permission from Troll makes it OK is bogus.

Imagine this scenario:

  Large international bank grabs a copy of kdebase from us (which act of 
  distribution involves us granting them the right to modify ALL the source
  including Qt)

  They modify Qt to make it run better on the ATM's and start running it in 
  every branch worldwide (using the GPL as their right to distribute)

  Troll Tech goes ape, and sues the bank for copyright infringement, and the 
  bank points at the GPL, and says ``Debian Licenced us to modify the code,
  and use it where we like''

  Debian then gets sued by Troll and the Bank.

  Game Over!

Let's drop Qt and KDE.  (I'm not overly pleased about the possibility of
getting sued for owning a Debian mirror)

Cheers, Phil.




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