Re: [fluid-dev] Another application using FluidSynth announced

[David Henningsson]

On 09/15/2011 05:52 AM, Matt Giuca wrote:
> Note: I'm not trying to suggest taking action here. I think we've kind
> of reached a consensus that the LGPL will remain on FluidSynth and the
> developers won't actively pursue violations, but that perhaps there
> will be a warning on the website. I'm just making the point that this
> is technically a violation (of both the spirit and the letter of the
> (L)GPL).

Would the following text be suitable to put on the wiki, and represent 
the sort-of consensus:

=== iOS and the App Store ===

It is questionable whether iOS and the App Store can fulfil the 
requirements of the LGPL. From a long thread on the fluid-dev 
mailinglist [insert link to archive], it was concluded that the 
developer distributing an application using FluidSynth must fulfil the 
following conditions:

 * He/she must release all changes to the FluidSynth source code under 
the LGPL.
 * He/she must release all other code of the application, either as 
source or as linkable object files, so that an independent user can 
relink the application with a different version of FluidSynth.

In addition, the App Store distribution mechanism might be incompatible 
with the LGPL, so the developer risks that Apple chooses to remove the 
application. To avoid that risk, the developer can choose to distribute 
his application through e g Cydia.

The following FluidSynth copyright holders have agreed not to actively 
raise complaints against FluidSynth App Store applications, provided the 
above conditions are met:

Peter Hanappe
Josh "Element" Green
Pedro Lopez-Cabanillas
David Henningsson
Matt Guica

However FluidSynth has a lot of copyright holders, so the above is NOT a 
guarantee that not any other FluidSynth contributor, or anyone else, 
won't choose to raise a complaint against Apple for distributing FluidSynth.

// David