Re: The draft Position statement on the GFDL
Raul Miller wrote:
>> > So, in essence, you think that the DFSG says we must disallow the
>> > distribution of gcc if its license prevents you distributing copies
>> > which have been functionally modified to better integrate with
>> > microsoft's palladium?
>
> On Tue, May 11, 2004 at 05:22:11PM +0100, Henning Makholm wrote:
>> Yes.
>
> That's in direct, literal conflict with the DFSG (clause 10).
No, it's not. See below.
> The GPL specifically disallows creation of copies with changes -- no
> matter how functional -- which include restrictions on the rights of
> other users of derivatives.
No, it doesn't. Please read the GPL more carefully.
2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion
of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and
distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1
above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
a) You must cause the modified files to carry prominent notices
stating that you changed the files and the date of any change.
b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in
whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any
part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third
parties under the terms of this License.
c) If the modified program normally reads commands interactively
when run, you must cause it, when started running for such
interactive use in the most ordinary way, to print or display an
announcement including an appropriate copyright notice and a
notice that there is no warranty (or else, saying that you provide
a warranty) and that users may redistribute the program under
these conditions, and telling the user how to view a copy of this
License. (Exception: if the Program itself is interactive but
does not normally print such an announcement, your work based on
the Program is not required to print an announcement.)
Nowhere in here is there a prohibition of the sort you think there is.
Where do you think the GPL "disallows" what you're describing?
Of course, this hypothetical version of GCC which was designed to better
integrate with Palladium would have to be either:
(1) Not distributed or published
or
(2) Licensed under the GPL
If it's impossible to make such a version and license it under the GPL
because of *Palladium* copyrights, patents, or trade secrets, that's
another matter. But the GPL lets you create such a version, and if you
somehow manage to create such a version, the GPL lets you distribute it
(although Microsoft may not).
--
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
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