> If the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function calls to
> each other and share data structures, we believe they form a single program,
> so plug-ins must be treated as extensions to the main program. This means
> they must be released under the GPL or a GPL-compatible free software
> license, and that the terms of the GPL must be followed when those plug-ins
> are distributed.
>
> If the program dynamically links plug-ins, but the communication between
> them is limited to invoking the `main' function of the plug-in with some
> options and waiting for it to return, that is a borderline case.
Well off list I've suggested to the author to use a bit tricky method -
To write a wrapper which will use GPL code in his own plugin under GPL
(open sourced) - the use these pluggins which will connect to his
own closed source code (this is perfectly legal because there is no
structure sharing or whatsever) also he should probably try to use
ffmpeg if he doesn't need some special things like win32 codecs
(or to be soon remerged from parts from mplayer for Sorenson3)
Also this method gives the user chance to update plugin to newer interface
(as C++ is ever hardly binary stable - and he can't release binary
edition - ffmpeg is probably change even more drasticaly then avifile
which at least remain source code compatible)
> So, it depends of how things work between avifile and the codec. I guess
> Zdenek could explain that :)
At this moment there are couple GPL software parts and avifile doesn't
have option to compile the code without them (I think libmad and other
mp3 de/coders are GPLed) The avifile core parts are LGPL - ffmpeg is
LGPL
--
.''`. Zdenek Kabelac kabi@{debian.org, users.sf.net, fi.muni.cz}
: :' : Debian GNU/Linux maintainer - www.debian.{org,cz}
`. `' Overclocker's house :)
`- http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/08/house.html
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