Florian Weimer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > * 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.
Nothing I said was specific to user interface copyright. > 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). No, the FSF does not claim this in fact. However, if you are Debian and distributing a binary that depends upon the readline library and is in fact linked against that library, then the GPL's restrictions come into play. Thomas -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
