Don Bedsole wrote:
Hi,
Ok, I have to admit, I have not been playing close attention to this
discussion, but what I have seen has raised a question for me. I would like
a clarification. Do I, as an end user have the right to install non-GPL
software (e.g. RealPlayer) on my Linux box if it links to GPL software? Can
I install non-GPL software which links to anything it wants to on my
computer? Is it legal for non-GPL software distributors (RealPlayer, et. al)
to furnish software to me which links to GPL software? Wouldn't it only be a
problem if I were to somehow redistribute the non-GPL--GPL software
combination? In other words, can non-GPL distributors (again RealPlayer for
example), give me whatever software they want to, which links to whatever it
wants to, as long as I, the end-user, do not distribute the resulting
GPL-non--GPL combination? Thank you.
I had always thought that you /are/ permitted to install non-GPL
software on your own box, even if it links to GPL software. Indeed, the
/Lesser/ or /Library/ GPL specifically permits you to /link/ to publicly
licensed libraries, so long as you do not try to /modify/ those
libraries and then claim ownership over them.
Then again, the GPL maintainers are under no obligation to respect
backward compatibility of a non-GPL application. The commercial vendor
thus must accept the responsibility of rebuilding his program when
necessary.
But you may not /distribute/ a GPL/non-GPL package.
This is why Fedora /never/ distributes with MP3 libraries or
applications. You have to get them separately from another repository,
if you want to play something in that format. And I assume that most
people here would advise you never to /rip/ to MP3, but rather stick to
Ogg-Vorbis or other GPL sound format.
If I have misconstrued any of the above, I welcome any correction.
Temlakos
