[opensource-dev] Third party viewer policy

[Lawson English]

Vex Streeter wrote:
> Soft Linden wrote:
>> On Tue, Feb 23, 2010 at 2:21 PM, Mike Dickson <mike.dickson at hp.com> wrote:
>>   
>>> On 02/23/2010 02:16 PM, Gigs wrote:
>>>     
>>>> http://secondlife.com/corporate/tpv.php
>>>>
>>>> You all realize this is massively incompatible with the GPL, right?
>>>>
>>>>       
>>> Not at all.  They're not restricting access to the code. They're
>>> restricting access to their service. And defining the terms under which
>>> that service is provided.
>>>     
>>
>> Mike's correct.
>>
>> If you see any wording that's ambiguous about that, let us know.
>>   
> Section 1c unambiguously imposes a GPL-incompatible download and/or 
> installation requirement that is unrelated to the use of the software 
> with the SL grid(s).



The preamble specifically states that the policy only applies to viewers 
meant to be used by SL. In essence, LL reserves the right to deny access 
to viewers that don meet their requirements.


MY concern is about prototyping viewers. I can certainly add a thing to 
timestamp a version string during login, but with smalltalk, I'm 
constantly tweaking the code *while* I'm connected to SL. Does this mean 
I have to log out every time I modify something in my squeak client just 
so I can change the version string?

Even if I don't change the SL viewer code, but only something else in 
the Squeak image, its still part of the same application due to how 
Smalltalk works. So any time I'm connected to SL using smalltalk, and I 
play with the workspace to test a new one-liner, I'm effectively 
changing the viewer code, and must log out and back in with a new 
version string...

Only partly joking here. Taking this policy to its extreme may sound 
silly, but people are correct: its poorly worded.





Lawson