On Sun Apr 04 17:33, Rudolf Polzer wrote: > > > Well, can it then still be one single download package? > > > > > > Can "the game" consist on multiple differently licensed parts? > > > > > > Can these then be provided as one download (and with an included text file > > > defining the licenses of the parts)? > > > > > > The thing is - does the GPL even allow combining with non-GPL data in such a > > > way? > > > > No way to know until it goes to court. The test is that if distributing > > the game executable alongside its data creates a derivative work or not. > > I would guess that it does not, but who knows what a court would decide. > > Ah, so better not go there yet... and instead wait if anything will happen to > other games doing the same (like Warsow, Tremulous). I think it's pretty clear that you can distribute data alongside a GPL work without it being covered by the GPL. The reason why program objects which link the GPL work need to be distributed under the GPL is that the result constitutes a derivative work. If it did not, then copyright law cannot cover said aggregation. Whether linking constitutes a derivative work is something which has not been tested in court, but since that is the FSF's position, that's what most people go with. There's never been any suggestion that data which is processed by the application is covered: otherwise you couldn't choose the licence of documents you created with a GPL word processor. More importantly, however, the GPL contains a clause permitting 'mere aggregation'. Matt -- Matthew Johnson
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