Re: gens License Check - Non-free
On Tue, 15 Jun 2004, Brian Thomas Sniffen wrote:
> > Being derivative is a property of a work, not a property of its
> > distribution.
> And it is that property of the combined work to which the FSF objects
No, it isn't.
The FSF doesn't prohibit derivatives (of GPL works and proprietary works
together). Rather, the FSF prohibits *distributing* derivatives. In other
words, the reason that distribution matters is not because being a derivative
is somehow dependent on being distributed--rather, the reason that it matters
is that distribution is separately and explicitly mentioned.
And "being a derivative" is a property of a work. "Being a derivative which
has been distributed" is not really a property of the work alone, but rather
a property of the work plus its history. A series of instructions which result
in the same work but with a different history might change things.
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