Re: draft for new Vim license

[Glenn Maynard <g_dlegal@zewt.org>]

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.

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.

> 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.

-- 
Glenn Maynard