Re: Icon designer wanted (Aquamacs Emacs)

[David Reitter <david.reitter@gmail.com>]

On 3 Jan 2006, at 16:58, David Kastrup wrote:

>  Then you certainly don't know much.  There are for example CC  
> licences
> that are explicitly noncommercial.  That's incompatible.  I have no
> idea whether there are any GPL-compatible CC licences, but there are
> _certainly_ several incompatible ones.

Sounds like somebody is going to have to check these things. Thanks  
for the hint. (So I need an icon designer and a lawyer.)

> "As far as reasonably possible", in my book, means getting written
> assurance that the legal state of the icons is compatible with
> inclusion into Emacs or other GPLed works.

That's something where we differ - fair enough.

> So what written guarantee will you have that this list is accurate?

Well, see, the guarantee you have when someone has signed a paper is  
only worth as much as the portion of their bank account that you can  
fetch in case you need to sue them. I agree a written declaration is  
much better than the word of somebody you only know by e-mail, but  
someone's word is already enough for the vast majority of  
collaborative non-GNU projects. I appreciate that a bigger and more  
important project such as Emacs needs more safety, as I've said  
earlier on.

> But you should still point out that you
> are searching for help on a non-GNU derivative of a GNU project that
> only runs on a proprietary system,

Well actually I have high hopes for the upcoming Nextstep/OpenStep  
port, which will also run under a completely free system. The current  
port, which is part of GNU Emacs 22, runs under Carbon, part of which  
is, as you say, proprietary.

> and do this under conditions that
> preclude this work to be of use for the upstream project.

Well, not necessarily - I guess that would be up to the people that  
want to invest time in it. I'm taking from this discussion that I  
should stick to my original plan to keep a detailed list of where  
material came from so that any necessary legal papers can be easily  
obtained when the time comes.

But it's very hard to find someone who can contribute graphics, and  
honestly, I think the best chances of finding someone would be among  
Mac enthusiasts. But no volunteer, no icons, and I sure don't want to  
brag about efforts which aren't happening due to the lack of  
volunteers :)