Re: License review request: LinuxMagic FSCL

[Ben Finney <bignose+hates-spam@benfinney.id.au>]

"Ryan Finnie" <ryan@finnie.org> writes:

> 2. The software is designed to replace certain components of qmail,
> which is wholly non-free.

Can it perform its function in the absence of qmail? Perhaps in the
presence of another MTA which is free?

> Even if the license is clean, does this make the software part of
> the non-free archive as well?

The 'contrib' archive exists for free software that depends on
non-free software.

> I guess theoretically you could write Free software that would
> interface with magic-smtpd...

If that is ever the case, the package would at that point no longer be
prohibited from 'main' for this.

Another possibility is to modify the program so that it performs a
useful function with any MTA, at which point qmail is merely one of
the possible dependencies.

-- 
 \        "It is the responsibility of intellectuals to tell the truth |
  `\                                and expose lies."  -- Noam Chomsky |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney