Gigs is totally right that http://secondlife.com/corporate/tpv.php is completely incompatible with the GPL.
Specifically, TPV clause 1c is incompatible with GPLv2 clause 6. GPLv2 has a FAQ that elaborates on this point, highlighting from clause 6 that: - "*You may not impose any further restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.*" TPV 1c adds massive further restrictions on Developers that fall under the condition of "*If you are a Developer who distributes Third-Party Viewers to others".* Please note the word "*distributes*" in the condition above, because it is crucial. GPLv2 is a *distribution license*, in other words it triggers at the point of distribution of GPL-licensed code. The freedoms that GPLv2 grants apply at that specific point in time, allowing a developer to *distribute* his code freely downstream to the next recipient, who can then modify the code again and *distribute* it to others downstream, and so on. It is this distribution that TPV 1c specifically entangles with a mass of restrictions. This cannot be done with the GPL of any version. TPV is dramatically GLPv2 non-compliant. I fully expect that LL did not intend to make TPV 1c apply so broadly and to be GPL non-compliant. Rather than this being intentional, it's more likely (I think) that the document was drafted by someone not very good at legal language and ignorant of the GPL. Unfortunately, the words stand as written, so unless they are rewritten, no Linden-derived viewer will be distributable under GPL. GPL cannot be used to grant fewer freedoms than the GPL specifies. Lindens are of course entirely within their rights to determine how their service is used. What they cannot do is use the GPLv2 license while at the same time imposing on the developer "*further restrictions on the recipients' exercise of the rights granted herein.*" Morgaine. ======================================= On Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 8:16 PM, Gigs <gigstagg...@gmail.com> wrote: > http://secondlife.com/corporate/tpv.php > > You all realize this is massively incompatible with the GPL, right? > > > _______________________________________________ > Policies and (un)subscribe information available here: > http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/OpenSource-Dev > Please read the policies before posting to keep unmoderated posting > privileges >
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