* Thomas Bushnell: >> As a countermeasure, the FSF tries to extend copyright to interfaces, >> so that you do create a derivative work merely by programming to a >> specific interface of a library written by someone else, without >> copying their code. I'm not sure if this is such a bright idea. > > Interface copyright attempts to prohibit making a second > implementation of the same interface. That is not what is going on > here.
I think you mean *user* interface copyright. Interfaces between pieces of interoperable software often have no clear distinction between the roles of user and program. And to some extent, the FSF must claim that it's not possible to escape the GPL with a second implementation (so that programs linking to readline must still be GPLed, even though you could use libedit as a mostly-transparent replacement, for instance). -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]