From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Thien-Thi Nguyen Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: A plea for dynamically loadable extension modules Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:51:40 +0200 Message-ID: <87zm0nvg9v.fsf@ambire.localdomain> References: <87wue0i51a.fsf@lexx.delysid.org> <871xw8i3tr.fsf@tapsellferrier.co.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1187527968 8194 80.91.229.12 (19 Aug 2007 12:52:48 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:52:48 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org To: dhruva Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sun Aug 19 14:52:46 2007 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1IMkGr-00065s-QY for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:52:46 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1IMkGr-0000lV-Do for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:45 -0400 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1IMkGo-0000kv-59 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:42 -0400 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1IMkGk-0000k8-Su for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:41 -0400 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1IMkGk-0000k5-Pe for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:38 -0400 Original-Received: from ppp-190-32.21-151.libero.it ([151.21.32.190] helo=ambire.localdomain) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS-1.0:RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1IMkGk-0006RD-JY for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:38 -0400 Original-Received: from ttn by ambire.localdomain with local (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1IMkFo-0005pf-Un; Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:51:40 +0200 In-Reply-To: (dhruva's message of "Sun\, 19 Aug 2007 08\:52\:29 +0530") User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.1.50 (gnu/linux) X-Detected-Kernel: Genre and OS details not recognized. X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:76746 Archived-At: () dhruva () Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:29 +0530 Would this be a feasible approach? i don't think so. the intent is that the action of linking GPL code to non-free code should not be prohibited. instead, doing so should extend GPL protections to the non-free code, in essence "freeing" it. i use quotes because to realize the new state of the module's ("formerly" non-free) code requires downstream action of (imputes responsibility to) someone, possibly not the same person as the user. here is my take on what this means, concretely: A/ user does not redistribute anything. => module's status is irrelevant (GPL only pertains to *re*distribution) B/ user redistributes w/in organization. => module's status is irrelevant (GPL only pertains when organization boundary is crossed) C/ user redistributes outside organization. => GPL requires that to redistribute Emacs + module, source code for both Emacs and the module be also available; if source for the module cannot or will not be available, GPL prohibits such redistribution altogether. to sum up, link time exception based on `(GPL-p module)' does not address the intent (assuming i understand both the intent and your proposal). thi