[EMAIL PROTECTED] said: > <snip> >>This is contrary to the statements made by Joel Bomgaars when asked about >>the license of ExpertVNC: >>"The scripts and executables of ExpertVNC that are completely separate >>files are licensed separately under a generic restrictive license." >>http://www.realvnc.com/pipermail/vnc-list/2003-May/039005.html > >>From your discription they are not seperate files, but part of the same >>executable. As the GPL FAQ states: >>"If the modules are included in the same executable file, they are >>definitely combined in one program." >>http://www.fsf.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation > </snip> > > They look like they come bundled in a self extracting executable, just as > if they were winzipped then created as a self extracting zip. > When you run it, it extracts them, and runs. If I were to say zip all the > VNC files up, with a text file with some notes on it or > something, then create a self extracting zip, and email it to a friend! > Would that break the licensing? How does this work with the > GPL? >
I'm not a GPL expert either, but I believe you are describing two different things. A self extracting zip I think would be covered under "Mere aggregation" (This is Tridia's model): Mere aggregation of two programs means putting them side by side on the same CD-ROM or hard disk. We use this term in the case where they are separate programs, not parts of a single program. In this case, if one of the programs is covered by the GPL, it has no effect on the other program. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation The self-extracting zip is basically just the "CD-ROM or hard disk" in this case (just a container). However, if you actually run a file, and in the background it extracts GPL files to use, I think you are on a very shaky ground. At least from the user's point of view that looks like one program, not multiple programs. These questions could probably be answered much better by the FSF. I don't know if they have a place to submit GPL questions, but I imagine they do. I hesitate to bring the FSF into this question until something is heard from the RealVNC folks on the issue. For all I know they could have licensed the VNC code to these folks using a different license (highly unlikely, but possible). -- William Hooper _______________________________________________ VNC-List mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To remove yourself from the list visit: http://www.realvnc.com/mailman/listinfo/vnc-list
