Re: Please release nano under less restrictive license so we can use it

[Gur Telem]

I assume this is a related discussion. It discusses the App Store vs the Operating system, but I believe the same issues apply:
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store-gpl-enforcement

After reading this I am starting to understand the issue.

Distributing the nano binaries along with the OS itself is problematic since you have to agree to other terms of service before using it, which conflicts with the GPL license.

The only way around this would be either getting the nano binaries after the OS is installed or dual license nano to allow Apple to distribute it with the OS.

I'm afraid either option might be a lost cause.



Gur Telem

gtelem@apple.com

+972-52680-3610

On 28 Apr 2023, at 23:56, Chris Allegretta <chrisa@asty.org> wrote:

On 2023-04-28 14:37, Gur Telem wrote:

Afaik i don't think it’s a problem to distribute the changes we make. They're more afraid that the fact that something that is open source under GPL is distributed along with the binaries of the OS might be a

problem and somehow may affect the entire code base.

If that is their interpretation, I don't think there is anything that anyone outside of Apple can say to fix that.

I would like to point out that Microsoft distributes an entire GNU/Linux operating system with binaries as a download for their proprietary OS, and they don't seem to be fighting off FSF lawyer phalanxes on a daily basis.

It's a clever way to deal with this issue, because MS isn't modifying any source code to make this work (presumably), just adding a compatibility later in order to translate those Linux calls to their OS. I assume Apple will eventually find this an easier option as well, compared to having to compromise what seems like their hell-bent intent to stop end users from being able to compile and run any binaries which aren't "approved" by Apple.

I’ll try to get the legal team to clarify but if the owners wouldn't cooperate I don't see how much help that would do.

I assume this is a related discussion. It discusses the App Store vs the Operating system, but I believe the same issues apply:
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store-gpl-enforcement