Re: [libredwg] Appeal for relicensing of LibreDWG

[Mike Dupont]

OK

so you are saying you have a specific plugin interface. Ok. lets say you do.

So I can create a program that implements that interface and load it into memory in your program.

lets say that you have some problems with loading a separate program. I can create a gplv2 plugin that uses your interface that loads the libredwg code dynamically.

it is all technically and legally possible without changing the license of anyones code.

GPL and licenses are only important when you 

copy the code and redistribute it.

we are talking here about how to interface modules with different licenses and there are no problems with that.

thanks,

mike

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 6:45 PM, R. van Twisk <address@hidden> wrote:

On Feb 11, 2012, at 12:28 PM, Mike Dupont wrote:

Hello,

If librecad had a GPLv2+ plugin example code, I could upgrade that to v3 and implement libredwg.

if librecad has an interface, it does not matter what code is behind it.

we can also define a data interface that just uses files.

LibreCAD has a interface where it's not possible that a plugin can call LibreCAD or LibreCAD

can call the plugin. Everything must go though the plugin's interface.

All communication goes through the documen_interface,

for example if a plugin needs to add a line then we have a virtual function

for it : virtual void addLine(QPointF *start, QPointF *end) = 0;

And we have a QC_PluginInterface in case LibreCAD needs to call up

the plugin.

sounds like we are good, right?

Ries

I dont see any technical or legal problems.

mike

On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 6:24 PM, R. van Twisk <address@hidden> wrote:

On this subject,

If LibreCAD has a plugin architecture that can be build outside of the LibreCAD tree, and this
plugin architecture is licensed as GPLv2+.

Can we then use LibreDWG within LibreCAD through out plugin architecture?

LibreCAD would never beable to call the plugin directly, and the plugin would
never beable to call LibreCAD code. In such case. Because the plugin architecture
would function as a interface between the two parts, essentially being
100% separated. Any data structure that exists is already licensed as GPLv2+
so not a single line of Code and/or data structure LibreDWG can see has a GPLv2 license
only.

Are we good then?

Regards,
Ries van Twisk
LirbeCAD

On Feb 11, 2012, at 6:16 AM, Felipe Castro wrote:

> 2012/2/11 Hamish <address@hidden>:
>> so if LibreDWG is a derivative product of a GPL3 project*, does the FSF
>> have the authority to even make that decision?
>> or is LibDWG (c) FSF too, not (c) Felipe ?
>>
>
> Well, I had indicated the copyright holder as FSF, see the header in
> every source file, in the last version of LibDWG:
> http://libdwg.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/libdwg/trunk/fontkodo/dekodigo.c?revision=33&view=markup
>
> So, the decision on relicensing it is not up to me at all, I would
> accept any decision from FSF. And I think I have already signed
> something to make this copyright FSF to be valid legally.
>
> But I also would like to have an answer to that question: what's the
> problem on having gplv3 plugins for the other software using
> LibreDWG...
>

--
James Michael DuPont
Member of Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova http://flossk.org

--
James Michael DuPont
Member of Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova http://flossk.org