On Fri, 2004-06-18 at 21:01, Michael Poole wrote: > Michael Poole writes: > > > What does the primary purpose have anything to do with it? When I buy > > a new computer, I do it because I want the functionality it offers -- > > not because it is a distribution medium for software. > > To tie that into GPL: Does that mean that if I buy a machine > pre-installed with GPL'ed software, the GPL demands that all the other > parts of that computer be GPL'ed? Being a distribution medium is a > convenient side effect of the computer; it is not the primary purpose.
To stick to my premise of approaching legal texts, yes, unlike a CD, where the storage medium character is obvious, we have to look further here. I would argue that with its hard drives and all, being a storage medium is in fact an aspect of a computer and thus the "mere aggregation" clause applies. For the Linux kernel to be a storage medium we have to look even further (and I'm afraid we won't find anything there). -Patrick
