[opensource-dev] FAQ posted for Third Party Viewer Policy

[Thomas Shikami]

Morgaine schrieb:
> GPLv2 clause 6 allows no "further restrictions" to be placed on the 
> freedom of developers to /"modify and distribute/" whatsoever, 
> regardless of whether the USAGE of that GPL software is constrained or 
> not.  The GPL has no interest is how software is used to connect to a 
> service in the slightest.  You can constrain USAGE of code for service 
> access as much as you like, you can ban whomever or whatever you like, 
> and it's completely immaterial to the GPL.  The two things are 
> entirely separate.  The GPL is not a usage license.
>

Long story short, if you want to be registered in the third party viewer 
registry, you have to follow the TPV policies. The registration is 
optional. If you don't register in the TPV, almost all rules that apply 
to the developer have no meaning. If you want to use your viewer with 
SL, you become a user of your viewer. Then the TOS and the TPV applies 
to you as it restricts the usage of a user.

Registering with the viewer registry is voluntary and LL doesn't impose 
any "further restrictions" on you, because it isn't mandatory. Also you 
can redistribute the registered viewer according to GPLv2 without 
"further restrictions" on the receiver of that code. That party would 
have to register a derivate of that viewer as well to be restricted by 
the TPV as it applies on developer.

If you don't use that viewer with SL, and you aren't registering the 
viewer, then nothing of the TPV applies to you.