Re: Plugins, libraries, licenses and Debian

[mru@kth.se (Måns Rullgård)]

Arnoud Engelfriet <galactus@stack.nl> writes:

> Anthony DeRobertis wrote:
>> On Dec 7, 2003, at 17:07, Arnoud Engelfriet wrote:
>> >If I understand the FSF correctly, they claim that a package
>> >containing both 'afe' and the 'barnitz' plugin is a derivative
>> >work of the 'barnitz' plugin.
>> 
>> No package containing both was created in the above!
>> 
>> Even if one were, it'd be a compilation --- not a derivative work --- 
>> as there was no modification of either work. IOW, a mere aggregation.
>
> It is definitely an "aggregation" but is it a _mere_ aggregation?
> A package with both afe and barnitz is likely built in such a
> way that the end user will run both.

And a typical KDE distribution is not?

>> >And since the FSF's logic is "linking at runtime means
>> >derivative work before runtime", it follows that the bundle
>> >is a derivative work of the plugin.
>> 
>> That doesn't follow. If we assume linking at runtime means creating a 
>> derivative work before runtime, then we can conclude only that the 
>> plugin is a derivative work of the plugin host.
>
> It is the host that loads the plugin into its memory, not vice
> versa. So it is the host that does the linking.

Yes, and before that linking, there is no derived work.  The GPL lets
you do anything can think of privately.  Copyright law allows private
modifications necessary to use a program as intended.  Linking a
plugin into the host program would typically be required to use it.

-- 
Måns Rullgård
mru@kth.se