Re: Big blow to proprietary linking nonsense.

[Hyman Rosen]

On 5/18/2010 12:47 PM, amicus_curious wrote:
> I think that you are ignoring the premise on purpose because you have no
> answer that fits your philosophy. Once again:
> A. Someone wants an improved version of some GPL work.
> B. They contract with a third part to obtain that modified GPL work,
> paying the third part a sum agreeable to the third party.
> C. As a condition of the third party contract, the person agrees to not
> disclose any details or make copies of the item for use by others not
> party to the contract.
> D. When all is said and done, the person has his software to use and the
> supplier has his money. No GPL violations here.

All correct. What I don't understand is why you believe this
is antithetical to the free software philosophy. There is no
user here who has been deprived of any freedom - the user is
voluntarily choosing not to share his program with others, but
free software doesn't require such sharing.

> So Rjack is free to sell his amalgamation of GPL and self-provided
> software to anyone, free of GPL restrictions, as long as the customer
> has access to the original, unmodified source.

And as long as the purveyor of this amalgamation does not
convey it as a unified work without honoring the GPL.