[GRASS5] why GPL

[strobe anarkhos]

At 9:58 AM +0200 3/27/01, Jan-Oliver Wagner wrote:
>On Mon, Mar 26, 2001 at 06:30:20PM -0800, strobe anarkhos wrote:
>> The problem is any form of linking other than linking by hard drive (which for some reason is exempt from the GPL derivative restriction) forces any remote usage of GRASS to adopt the GPL. If I develop an image importer which is used by other applications which allows them to view vector images using the GRASS library I can't do that. My code would have to be GPL because I link to GRASS (or the hypothetical GRASS framework) and only GPL apps could use the importer.
>
>Write a simple converter program and release it under GPL. Inteconnect
>your proprietary application e.g. via scripting with the converter and you are
>fine. Such interconnection of applications is getting pretty usual.

So that isn't considered linking? Huh?

So 'scripting' is not linking, but what if I'm using a system-wide notification, or what if I'm making an object public on a server. I mean when I connect to that object it ends up being a link.

What is the distinction? In all cases you need to know the interface. With message passing OO languages you don't know an API insofar as you know the protocol interface. That interface can span threads, computers, or nations. Calling the method of an object means knowing it's name and the method name. It's the same with scripting, you know the app's name and the method's name. You don't need to know any structures or offsets.

It's all very vague.

I mean where is the dividing line between derivative work and non-derivative work? An IPC call? A TCP packet? A printed command mailed anonymously to a Swiss bank?

> > I'm not really interested in making code for my own use only and then releasing it as GPL, I mean what's the point? Nobody else could use it.
>
>I still fail to see _your_ point. In all your emails on this list
>I see you only argue for another licensing concept for GRASS. Please take a
>minute and think about the option to change _your_ licensing concept.

Make software other people can use and want to improve, this concept?

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