RE: Problem with InstallShield (Was Re: [Bug 629] Changed - Probl em with InstallShield: ole:CoTreatAsClass(stub), ole:CoGetClassObject)

> On May 8, 2002 05:25 pm, Alexandre Julliard wrote:
> >
> > > There's another "excuse": proprietary hardware requiring 
> custom core code
> > > under NDA (code that might go into, say, port.c). I've 
> already mentioned
> > > my own hypothetical Xbox clone before, but TransGaming 
> actually does wish
> > > to support some proprietary hardware in the future.
> >
> > As you say, that's just another excuse. If people can put the GPLed
> > Linux kernel on the Playstation proprietary hardware, there's no
> > reason you couldn't put the LGPLed Wine on it, or on any other piece
> > of hardware that you care about.
> 
> Indeed. I am surprised to see this sort of argument from Ove (whom I
> consider an exceptional programmer) which in fact is just Microsoft's
> argument that a modular Windows is not feasible... (which is 
> ridiculous!)

Note however that just because

1. People do it
2. Other people consider it acceptable

doesn't nessarily mean that it is legal strictly speaking.

Because of the inherent ambiguity in the GPL and LGPL you can
interpret the licenses to mean whatever you wish it to
mean within certain borders.

However using different interpretation of the license depending
on whether you approve or disprove of what whomever is doing
is hypocracy. You can only have ONE opinion on what the license
means not several.

Either the license allows depending on proprietory "code" in certain
cases or it does not. If it allows the Playstation proprietary hardware
case it must logically allows a hypotetical proprietary Playstation emulator
case and from there it must logically allow a proprietary Playstation
library
case at which point we come to a case that the GPL/LGPL proponents agreed
wasn't
allowed.

Face it LGPL (and the GPL to for that matter) have serious trouble defining
exactly what is allowed or not. Ove might be needlessly worried but he does
have a point.

In short just because you can do it, people approve or tolerate it and you
likely will get away with it doesn't mean it is legal (or moral for that
matter).