Re: more licence red-herrings

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004, Vincent wrote:

> On Wed, Apr 28, 2004 at 02:21:48PM -0400, David Dawes wrote:
> > The notion that some are pushing that the licensing of the headers and
> > libraries that make up a public API somehow affects applications that
> > use the API is yet another licensing red herring.  I have stated publicly
> > that I do not subscribe to this novel little FSF-promoted view of derived
> > works.  Anyone who wishes to interpret licensing, and XFree86 licensing
> > in particular, in that way is creating phantom problems of their own
> > making.  So, even if the XFree86 public libraries and headers were under
> > the 1.1 licence (which they are not), it would in no way impose any new
> > requirements on applications that simply use those public interfaces.

> If what you are saying is true, and it does not affect the
> applications, then that leaves just the server as has been suggested
> many times in these discussions.  Since, as I said before, I know of
> no X servers derived from XFree86 that pop up their own splash
> screens, credit windows, etc, then I have to assume it would not
> change the distributors requirements of license credits there either.

Pick any system, commercial or not.  Say, IRIX or Solaris, for example.  Every
one of its system headers contains a copyright and/or license statement.  Does
that mean that every single application compiled against these headers inherits
them?  Of course not, the GPL notwithstanding.  So, why are you applying a
different metric to headers & libraries shipped with XFree86?

> So sir, could you provide us an example of where an existing
> distribution would have to do anything different with this new
> license?

In my view, no such distribution need exist.  Many believe they do, but that's
a different matter.

> If not, then please explain what you have accomplished, aside from the
> X.org split, and all the lost development time from dealing with all
> the opposition, legal fears, and discussion.

You're confused.  The split, as you call it, pre-dates the license change.

Marc.

+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
|  Marc Aurele La France           |  work:   1-780-492-9310           |
|  Computing and Network Services  |  fax:    1-780-492-1729           |
|  352 General Services Building   |  email:  [email protected]          |
|  University of Alberta           +-----------------------------------+
|  Edmonton, Alberta               |                                   |
|  T6G 2H1                         |     Standard disclaimers apply    |
|  CANADA                          |                                   |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
XFree86 developer and VP.  ATI driver and X server internals.