[cairo] Re: License for cairo changed to LGPL

[Jost Boekemeier]

> In both cases, the user's freedom to use the 
> relinked version of the program isn't guaranteed 
> at all. Would a judge decide that I
> obey the LGPL nevertheless ? 

Except for B/2 and C/2 I think it is clear what is
allowed and what not.  B2 depends on the license, but
C2 is indeed interesting because the "work that uses
the library" is now a hardware device.

In practice I think that such a hardware device does
not exist, hardware is usually generic and programmed
in a "high level language" such as VHDL or schematic
drawing for which source or object code exists.

Customers always invent strange strategies to
circumvent license terms, so that I think it is
important for the author as well as for the customer
that the author's intention is clearly expressed by
the license.

Here in munich the netfilter project was able to stop
a german company from distributing their router
product.  I don't think this would have happened if
they used one of those unclear licenses that add a
chain of special cases to a base license.


Jost



	

	
		
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