From: "David Schwartz" <davids@webmaster.com>
To: "Timothy Miller" <miller@techsource.com>
Cc: "Pascal Schmidt" <der.eremit@email.de>, <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: RE: People, not GPL  [was: Re: Driver Model]
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 14:17:07 -0700
Message-ID: <MDEHLPKNGKAHNMBLJOLKGEAOGIAA.davids@webmaster.com>
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> > 	Licenses that place restrictions on usage are *not* open
> > source licenses.

> What about "usage" of source code?

	Same thing.

> GPL says you are not allowed to "use" GPL source in a non-free program
> that you publish.

	This is a publication restriction, not a usage restriction. Your phrasing
above is like saying, "you can't put bullets into a gun that you use to
shoot a police officer". The restriction is on the shooting, not the
loading.

	Again, quoting the GPL:

Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not
covered by this License; they are outside its scope.  The act of
running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the Program
is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on the
Program (independent of having been made by running the Program).
Whether that is true depends on what the Program does.

> I don't think anyone was talking about use of applications, but rather
> use of source code.

	I'm not sure why you think this is an important distinction.

	DS


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