Re: [libreplanet-discuss] N1, GPL violation?

[ng0]

ng0 <ng0@libertad.pw> writes:

> Mike Gerwitz <mtg@gnu.org> writes:
>
>> On Tue, Apr 05, 2016 at 17:17:44 +0200, Nils Gillmann wrote:
>>> I don't have the resources (time) to deal with this, but we are
>>> pretty sure that N1[1] is violating the GPL.
>>
>> Unfortunately, if N1 is the copyright holder, then they can't really
>> violate (in a useful sense) their own license---as the copyright holder,
>> they're the only one that can enforce it.
>
> Hm, that's right. My choice of words was off then.
> It should've been "Is there something missing in the way they
> distribute an GPL licensed application"?
>
>> I notice also that they don't include a full copy of the GNU GPLv3+
>> (they just have a mention of it in LICENSE.md).
>>
>>> It is a GPLv3 or later[2] project which only provides apm "build"
>>> instructions to users and no instructions (or even hints) on how
>>> to build your own binaries.
>>
>> What's the result of the build?  Is it not something you can run?
>
> My problem is that it is just an apm/npm build instruction. Is
> this how awful package "management" has become today so that this
> is considered to be okay? I could try to get the toolchain to
> build this on gentoo (on guixsd this would very obviously
> currently not be possible) and see what the result is, but so far
> I just see npm/apm.
>
>> https://github.com/nylas/N1/tree/master/build
>>
>> JavaScript (well, CoffeeScript in this case, I suppose) projects don't
>> really have "binaries".
>
> They distribute .deb, .exe, how are those not binaries in the
> sense of binaries.
> Before I reply further and might correct what I have now written
> and sent, let me try to build it with their definition of
> build instructions.
>
>> See also https://github.com/nylas/N1/blob/master/.travis.yml

Okay with my choice of systems (gentoo, guixsd) I am unable to
test the build of this software sufficient enough without wasting
my own time. I might add ebuilds for gentoo to my overlay when I
have the time again, and come back to this thread.


-- 
ng0