Re: [syl20bnr/spacemacs] Proposal to improve GPL compliance (#14444)

[github.com@gnu.support]

* Lucius Hu <notifications@github.com> [2021-03-01 20:45]:
> This is my take on the nature of Spacemacs.
> 
> - First it's not "modifying emacs on the fly", nor does it change
> - source code of emacs. Because clearly it doesn't require you to
> - compile a modified version of emacs.

Well, I do not see the classic Emacs when I run it. So the programs
contained in Spacemacs package create modified work. Maybe you think
with "not modifying Emacs on the fly" that it does not modify the
OS executable on the fly. Your software is written in Emacs Lisp (how
I see it) and is modified work of original.

Compiling or not compiling is not essential. It is Emacs Lisp. No need
to compile

> - It's a framework for setting up common workflows easily in emacs.

Sure, I understand. However, the framework, call it as you wish, is
new Emacs distribution. It depends of main Emacs, otherwise alone it
does nothing. That is why it is new work.

> - A core library is mostly from original work of contributors of
> - Spacemacs. Sure their license info is not complete and needs to be
> - improved.

Thanks for acknowledgments. As it directly uses mainstream Emacs to
provide new Emacs version (remember, compiled or not is not essential
as Emacs Lisp libraries are all part of Emacs) -- then all those files
have to be licensed with same license as Emacs.

> - Layer configs declare 3rd-party packages and set some sane
> - defaults. They are not modifying any source code either.

I understand your opinion. My opinion is that it is not mere an
aggregate work, it depends on mainstream Emacs. Adding to the source
code is modification of the original source code. It is also visibly
not the same appearance so that demonstrates the modification. It does
not matter if it pulls third party packages, all those packages
including Spacemacs should be then compliant.

Could you please write your email to emacs-tangents@gnu.org and
include your opinion. I will send this copy to that mailing list as
well. Please participate there as the subject was brought up in the
mailing list. It would be so nice to have all pieces of Spacemacs with
nice notices so that people may build more free software upon it.

>  - There are some functions that wraps around functions from
>  - 3rd-party packages, but again they are not modifying the
>  - source. Calling a external library is not modifying source.

Please review:
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

Read for example this section:
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WMS

Where it says: " Because the templates will be combined with user
data, it's possible that template+user data+JavaScript would be
considered one work under copyright law."

Also see this section:
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLPlugins

I suggest you discuss it on emacs-tangents@gnu.org

Please see:
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-tangents/2021-02/msg00002.html

and follow the thread.

> - In a few cases, we pulled in the source of remote package
> - entirely, with or without modifications. But the original license
> - info inside those packages are kept intact.

It does not matter. I see your viewpoint, but I see you lack
understanding of what combined work is. You would get better
assistance on mailing list emacs-tangents@gnu.org where you can write
now, without subscribing.

In my opinion the points that I have presented in the previous
comments still stand.