On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 11:23:46 +0200 Alexis Papadopoulos wrote:
> Thanks for your answer...
You're welcome, but, please, do *not* reply to me while Cc:ing the list,
as I didn't ask you to do so. I am a debian-legal subscriber and I'd
rather avoid receiving replies twice... Thanks.
>
> > Mmmh, you should explain the dependence relationship better.
> > How do these executables interact with bamg?
> > Do they invoke it by forking another process?
> > Do they link against it?
> > Do they incorporate parts of bamg source code in their own code?
>
> The invoke it by forking another process (more precisely the system
> method of C++ is used).
In other words, they invoke it just like a shell would do (more or
less).
They launch bamg as a separate executable process, passing it
command-line arguments.
If this is the case, I think that even the FSF would say that it's not
necessary for bamg to be GPL-compatible...
Of course, from a Debian point of view, DFSG and Policy considerations
still hold (see my previous reply)...
>
> > What does he agree with?
> > That bamg is distributed along with other files?
> > Or that bamg is distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL v2?
>
> He agreed on the distribution of bamg along with rheolef, we are
> allowed to include bamg's sources in our own.
OK, it seems you are allowed to distribute bamg along with rheolef.
That is enough for non-free, I think.
But definitely *not* for main!
Again see the discussion in my previous reply...
>
> > This depends on your answer to the above questions regarding the
> > relationship between bamg and rheolef...
>
>
> Doesn't the fact that bamg's sources are now part of rheolef obliges
> us to make it GPL ?
I don't think so.
It would qualify as "mere aggregation".
>
> Now it gets a little bit more complicated (I hoped we didn't have to
> go this far :). Bamg is undevelopped for more than a year now.
> Instead it's author is working on a new application (FreeFem++),
> which includes some of the bamg code, but creates a more complete
> binary (bamg is only a part of it). Now if he accepts to release the
> former code of bamg (the one I use) under GPL, won't he be forced to
> do the same for FreeFem++, since bamg code has been used in it. (in
> case this is revelant, FreeFem doesn't produce any bamg binary, it's
> using the sources directly) ?
No, because bamg author is the copyright holder: consequently he/she is
able to release the same code more than once, each time under a license
of his/her choice.
And he/she is not bound by the license he/she chose: only the rest of
the world is!
Here, I'm assuming that bamg author is its sole copyright holder...
>
> I'll wait until I have a clear view on the issue before contacting him
> again to propose GPL :).
Good strategy.
--
:-( This Universe is buggy! Where's the Creator's BTS? ;-)
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