[computer-go] Collaboration project. Once again

[Markus Enzenberger]

On Saturday 05 August 2006 20:33, Ron Goldman wrote:
> You still might consider switching to LGPL if you would be willing to
> let people create a single executable consisting of GoGui and one or
> more engines. LGPL has the advantage of allowing a closer connection
> between the GTP/GUI side and the Go engine. There are probably good
> arguments for keeping a cleaner, pure GTP interface like you now use
> & also for tighter integration: a great general use GUI for a Go
> program that people can plug different engines into.

I understand, but I don't want to allow using GoGui's code directly in non-GPL 
programs (unless I dual-license it for specific proprietary applications). 
According to our discussion here, the Go Text Protocol seems to be the 
perfect separation line between proprietary engines and the GPLed code. I 
don't see any legal ambiguities here.

The advantage of having GTP as a minimal, language-independent interface 
between different Go engines and GUIs or other reusable tools is a nice 
side-effect from a software-design perspective, too.

> At the least you might consider adding a Note in your licensing
> explicitly stating that any engine connected to GoGui via GTP is not
> considered a derivative work. I.e. to rework the note used by Linux:
>
>     NOTE! This copyright does *not* cover Go engines that use GoGui
>   services by the GTP protocol - this is merely considered normal use
>   of GoGui, and does *not* fall under the heading of "derived work".

good idea. Even if I don't think this clarification is necessary in this case, 
it does not hurt to include such a notice.

Thanks

- Markus