Re: The worst that can happen to GPLed code

[David Kastrup]

hollaar@faith.cs.utah.edu (Lee Hollaar) writes:

> In article <20040618152517.53ad35bc.tengo@DELETEMEecc.lu> Stefaan A
> Eeckels <tengo@DELETEMEecc.lu> writes:
> >1. Download x copies of a GPLed program, so that he has
> >   x copies subject to first sale,
> >2. Extract the desired files, or bits of files, from
> >   a copy, 
> >3. Combine the extracted files with other files to form
> >   a new program, which is an aggregation, and not a 
> >   derivative work,
> >4. Distribute the result x times without complying with
> >   the GPL.
> 
> That's probably not permissible.
> 
> But if you instruct the end user on how to do it, starting with
> lawfully acquiring a copy by downloading it, then it would be
> legal.

Would it?  In that case, the user is acting in your behalf in
fulfilling your part of the deal with him.

If your files have a definitive, separate usefulness apart from
combining them with the GPLed program, it is the user that is
responsible for the aggregation.

If your files are not useful for anything else, then you share
responsibility for the creation of the derived work.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum