Re: softwarecombinations paper again Re: LGPL vs. GPL

[Tim Smith]

In article <mailman.16167.1218272253.18990.gnu-misc-discuss@gnu.org>,
 "Alfred M. Szmidt" <ams@gnu.org> wrote:
>    > But if you use code that is copyrighted, say by linking or
>    > otherwise
> 
>    Writing a plug-in for the GIMP does not do anything prohibited by
>    copyright. Even if you include header files and such, that comes
>    under "there's just one way to do it", which makes it OK. So you
>    don't need permission and you don't need to distribute it under any
>    particular license.
> 
> If the program depends on the other program in some manner, then yes
> you do.

"Depends on" is does not automatically require copyright permission.  If 
work X depends on Y, in the sense that X is useless without Y, and X 
interfaces at run time to Y and Y's data, that *can* be OK.  See, for 
example, the various video game cases, where third parties made cheat 
add-ons for video games, without permission of the game makers.

The relevant question is whether or not X is a derivative work of Y, not 
whether or not it "depends on...in some manner".

-- 
--Tim Smith