Fedora Freedom and linux-libre

[Les Mikesell]

Andrew Haley wrote:
> 
>>> I've explained that the GPL prevents me from sharing original work
>>> that links to both GPL and non-GPL libraries.
>> And I've explained that it doesn't, and asked you to cite the passage
>> of the GPL that prevents you from doing it.  You haven't bothered to
>> do it, and instead decided to keep insisting in this nonsensical
>> claim. 
> 
> Actually, he did reply to that, but perhaps you didn't see it.
> 
> He had an unfree program (the wattcp library) and GNU tar and
> discovered that he wasn't allowed to ship a program that linked
> these two together.  He then said, gloriously, "please don't try
> to say the problem was cause by those other licenses -
> they did not prevent anyone else from getting copies..."  :-)
> 
> OK Les, I promise not to say it.  However...

I'm not sure what you are trying to imply here.  I could redistribute 
copies of the other two components - but that's irrelevant since anyone 
could get them in source anyway (they were only unfree in the reverse 
way that the GPL redefines free to mean restricted).  I could have 
redistributed the combination if I had started with the original pdtar 
instead of gnutar.

There is no reasonable interpretation that anything but the GPL 
restrictions applied along with the changes between the pdtar and gnutar 
versions restricted distribution of my subsequent modification of the 
gnutar code.  All of the other components were distributable except for 
my own work to combine them.  Of course I was mistaken at the time in 
thinking that GPL'd code was suitable for re-use and sharing and know 
better now. At the time I was simply deceived by something that claimed 
to be free.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com