[vlc-devel] FSF position on GPLv2 & current App Store terms

[Pierre Ynard]

> > On a personal note, I believe that the AppStore terms and conditions
> > are clearly against the spirit of the GPL. There should be no
> > questions about whether the GPL is a valid EULA, no references to
> > never-ending additional rules and licenses, no limitations on the
> > number of copies which may be moot or not...
> So you are saying 'lawyers are boring"? Welcome to the real world.
> I feel sorry for you.

No, I'm not saying that this is boring and wishing for a Care Bears
world. Apple needs to comply with the GPL, and using legal tricks and
half-restrictions is not cool, we don't have to stand for this.

> > Apple is simply not trying hard enough to comply with free software
> > licenses, and yet has no concern with accepting them in the
> > AppStore, despite their tight control on acceptance over other
> > issues. So I totally condone one's action against that, and I wonder
> > why this mailing list sounds like "how can we interpret the GPL so
> > that we can have VLC on iPhone?" so more often than
> You have to understand something clearly if you want to discuss/defend
> it. You seem to already understand all of the GPL, I am glad for you.

Even if you reach into the depths of understanding of the meaning of
"herein" and other words, and you get 100% sure for yourself, even
if a lawyer tells you he is too, it doesn't matter. The only thing
that eventually matters is the opinion of the judge who settles the
court case. So all you need is grey areas with space to argue, and good
arguments. And it's becoming clear that we have that. Doing the judge's
job of deciding whether your interpretation of "herein" is right or
wrong is irrelevent.

> > like "what should we do to get Apple to respect our free software?"
> Good luck with that.

Yeah thanks a lot, I'll get to it.

-- 
Pierre Ynard
"Une âme dans un corps, c'est comme un dessin sur une feuille de papier."