Re: [XaraXtreme-dev] xaralx is in debian (sort of)

["Ben Fowler" <ben.the.mole@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 09/04/06, Alex Bligh <alex@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Joachim,
> > today, xaralx was accepted into the Debian archive.
> > Also, I just notice, if xaralx is GPL, and CDraw is not, isn't that an
> > illegal combination that would prohibit distribution? Not that it would
> > matter as soon as CDraw is freed...
>
> I don't think so.

Despite the GPL notices on the sources, I suspect that further
distribution, particularly of modified sources would need the
potential distributor to check the copyright status of every part
involved. This is no different from what is necessary whenever you
distribute code (source or compiled) that you did not yourself write.
Speaking personally, I am not in the least bothered by this, it is
sufficient that Xara LX is 'source available', but I would not be
surprised if others are. IMHO, it is early days, and there is a
simple, well-defined problem ahead of us which is to get a working
Linux and Mac OS X Xara LX into the hands of potential users. If you
need to clarify the licence at this stage, you might be better off
hanging fire until Xara has a 'fireside community' of people using it
to get real work done. For the moment I have no plans to distribute
any part of Xara LX outwith the Xara project, thought I hope that Xara
do; and it is both gratifying that Debian are stepping up at all, and
of course potentially very helpful that we are seeing some activity
from the Gentoo project. IMHO, the combination is not 'illegal',
merely something that is governed by Copyright and not by the GPL; no
different from anything in a tangible form, such as say today's copy
of the 'Sunday Sport'.

Ben