[Python-Dev] DRAFT: python-dev Summary for 2006-01-01 through 2006-01-15

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

>>>>> "Martin" == Martin v Löwis <martin at v.loewis.de> writes:

    >> BTW. The argument that the readline module should be GPL
    >> licensed seems rather stronger, it's designed to work with a
    >> GPL-ed library and doesn't work with a BSD licensed work-alike
    >> of that library.

    Martin> This is the question what constitutes derivative work, and
    Martin> different lawyers have said different things in the
    Martin> past. If we really want to find out, we should ask a
    Martin> lawyer.

You also need to ask about the cost of defending against a lawsuit by
the FSF, which is both the copyright holder of the library and the
primary advocate of the interpretation that a work which is intended
to be linked with another work is a derivative.  I think the FSF
pretty much would have to fight any claims that contest its
interpretation of the concept of "derived work", because any
interpretation that requires a direct source-to-source copy will make
the GPL irrelevant.


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