Glynn Clements writes:
Justin Vallon wrote:
> > > > We already allow XEmacs to link against vendor provided non-free
> > > > libraries. Motif, for instance. What's the difference?
> > >
> > > Motif is an RMS sanctioned "system library". I have nothing
against
> > > linking with QT. I am simply not prepared to take any heat from the
> > > FSF for something simple as looks.
> >
> > Oh, right, this matters for the binary kits. For source
> > distributions, we can use any library.
>
> I don't see any difference. Aren't the binary kits dynamically linked
> against Motif, anyway. Are you allowed to ship archive linked Motif
> applications?
See later.
> As for non-distribution of third-party libraries, what about requiring
> dynamic linking? Surely there is nothing anybody could say that would
> prevent a dynamically linked Qt executable from being freely
> distributed, no?
Requiring dynamic linking doesn't help. From section 3 of the GPL:
The source code for a work means the preferred form of the work for
making modifications to it. For an executable work, complete source
code means all the source code for all modules it contains, plus any
associated interface definition files, plus the scripts used to
control compilation and installation of the executable.
The relevant bit being 'plus any associated interface definition
files'. I guess that if someone were to produce GPL'd Qt-compatible
header files, than that might solve the problem.
Oh, this is really tasty. Those lines aren't in GPL v1. (I
still have a copy of GPL v1 because that's the license VM is
distributed under). So a reasonable question would be whether
XEmacs is covered by GPL v1 or GPL v2. I know we have v2
references in the code now, but it wasn't always that way. I
also know that Epoch (a Lucid Emacs precursor) predates GPL
v2. If XEmacs is covered by GPL v1, then I we should be home
free. But I'm pretty sure there's v2 covered code mixed into
the v1 covered code, so it will be a reallllly big stinking
mess of bones to sort out.