emacs-devel
[Top][All Lists]
Advanced

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Emacs 23.4 Updated Windows Binaries published


From: Stephen J. Turnbull
Subject: Re: Emacs 23.4 Updated Windows Binaries published
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:22:29 +0900

Lennart Borgman writes:
 > On Mon, Feb 6, 2012 at 04:46, Stephen J. Turnbull <address@hidden> wrote:

 > > If you mean that Emacs doesn't need to distribute those sources
 > > *with Emacs*, that is true.  If you mean that Emacs docs can
 > > point to the upstream sources, you misunderstand.
 > 
 > Stephen, can you please explain exactly what makes it not
 > permissible to point to the upstream sources?

Eli answered this briefly already, but here's some additional detail
and rationale.

 > You say below that it does not satisfy the GPL. Is that what you
 > mean?

Almost.  First, to the extent that the distributed code is under the
GPL but not owned by the FSF, that's exactly right.

Second, even if the additional library code is owned by the FSF, I
consider that the FSF is morally (and perhaps legally by its charter
and the assignment contracts it has entered) bound to provide that
code on terms that allow third parties to easily redistribute Emacs
exactly as they receive it, not to mention with their own
modifications if they desire.  Having to chase down sources on
multiple hosts (some of which may no longer exist at the time you
receive the code) is not my idea of fulfilling that obligation.

I'm willing to go out on a limb and speak for Richard here: he would
also find that unacceptable.

 > What does it break?

It breaks Section 6d of the GNU General Public License, v3 (and the
similar section in GPLv2, which is stricter):

      6. Conveying Non-Source Forms.

      You may convey a covered work in object code form under the terms
    of sections 4 and 5, provided that you also convey the
    machine-readable Corresponding Source under the terms of this License,
    in one of these ways:

        d) Convey the object code by offering access from a designated
        place (gratis or for a charge), and offer equivalent access to the
        Corresponding Source in the same way through the same place at no
        further charge.

Other parts of section 6 would also be broken in similar ways in case
of "embedded Emacs" or "Emacs-on-a-disk" distribution.

Note that even if Emacs can legally get around this requirement
because the FSF owns all related code, anybody downstream from Emacs
cannot.  They must comply with the GPL in full, which (strictly
speaking) means providing the exact copy of the Corresponding Sources
that produced the binary they're distributing.



reply via email to

[Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread]