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List:       gphoto-devel
Subject:    [gphoto-devel] Re: gPhoto2 licensing clarification (was Re: Introduction and Comments)
From:       Richard Stallman <rms () santafe ! edu>
Date:       2000-08-23 10:52:15
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    > Whether to release it under the LPGL as a GNU package is the question
    > we are talking about.  It isn't decided yet.

    The gPhoto2 core has been LGPL'd since February of this year. It has
    been in CVS and under developmental release for as long a time.

You can certainly write a program under the LGPL if you want to.  The
question is whether to replace part of gPhoto with this program, and
thus effectively change the license of gPhoto.

In general, the GNU Project policy is to release everything under the
GPL, except when there is a good reason to make an exception.  So the
question is, is there a good reason in this particular case?  Ole
Aamod does not think so.  But I am willing to listen while you make
the case.

    >     The other reason is that as we expand to other platforms with gPhoto2,
    >     we will run into proprietary competition as I previously had mentioned.
    > This could be a relevant factor in the strategic decision.  It depends
    > what sort of competition; competition for what?  So could you please
    > go into more detail about this?

    Here is a brief listing of competition for image transfer standards:

    DCITU on OS/2: http://charette.dyn.tj/dcitu
    IXLA DCA on Windows: http://www.ixla.com/products/dcd.htm
    TWAIN on Windows: http://www.twain.org
    ...

This list might be the data for an argument, but what I need to see is
the chain of reasoning which leads to the conclusion.  In this list of
names, associated each with some non-free operating system, I cannot
even tell what they are the names of--are they are programs, or
protocols, or something else?

I am not an Internet user, so I cannot access those web sites myself.

If you would like to argue that DCITU and IXLA etc. create a reason to
release part of gPhoto under the LGPL, then please give the argument
in detail.  That way, we can see if it is sound and if the conclusion
follows.  Then it will be possible to see how the argument affects the
decision.

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