[Bug 90133] Review Request: rss-glx -- Really Slick Screensavers

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Summary: Review Request: rss-glx -- Really Slick Screensavers


https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=90133





------- Additional Comments From nphilipp at redhat.com  2006-03-14 05:41 EST -------
Jamie, I still don't buy your line of reasoning.

- The same http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation that you
quoted says:

"""
By contrast, pipes, sockets and command-line arguments are communication
mechanisms normally used between two separate programs. So when they are used
for communication, the modules normally are separate programs. But if the
semantics of the communication are intimate enough, exchanging complex internal
data structures, that too could be a basis to consider the two parts as combined
into a larger program.
"""

All that xscreensaver, gnome-screensaver or KDE do is run the program
implementing the hack, so the "semantics of the communication" are pretty much
non-existent (not to mention far from exhibiting complex internal structures).

- Running the hack itself on the whole screen would cause it to act as a
"screensaver" without any involvement of xscreensaver/... themselves.

- From the GPLv2:

"""
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, [...]
"""

- Following your line of reasoning, xscreensaver couldn't include hacks that use
screen contents as they may display programs that are distributed under a
non-compatible license. This is clearly nonsensical.

- rss-glx can be used either standalone or in conjunction with one or more of
xscreensaver, gnome-screensaver, KDE, whatever else that can run an external
program to decorate a locked screen. Reaction to non-activity of the user,
locking the screen and decorating it are completely separate tasks. This voids
the notion that either rss-glx (which implements decoration) or xscreensaver
(which implements reaction on non-action as well as locking) would somehow be
derivatives of each other.

In conclusion, I would say that there is no licensing issue between rss-glx and
xscreensaver as they don't need to be compatibly licensed.

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