Devel Digest, Vol 7, Issue 38

[Eion Robb]

> Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:43:43 -0400
> From: Ethan Blanton <elb at pidgin.im>
> Subject: Re: A few comments
> To: devel at pidgin.im
> Message-ID: <20071016214343.GA23210 at elb.elitists.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
--snip--
> This is all obviously less encumbered than the abomination of a GPL
> violation which is any plugin linking the Skype API.  Since your
> plugin can never be legally released, you may use whatever artwork you
> so choose for your own purposes.
>  Ethan

I'm not sure if you (or most people on the devel list) understand how the  
connection is made between the client (eg my plugin) using the API and  
Skype.
The Skype 'API' isn't a traditional API or library or anything to link to,  
its just a protocol with a different name. For example, sending "NAME  
Pidgin" over an x11/win32 message, tells Skype that there's a program with  
the name 'Pidgin' connecting to it.  No linking of libraries or nothing.

The Skype 'API' has direct similarity with, say, the MSN protocol.  Pidgin  
is a client to the service, Pidgin uses an OS library for communicating  
(MSN=tcp/udp, Skype=x11/dbus/win32) to connect to the server  
(MSN=messenger.microsoft.com, Skype=process on the same machine)

There seems to be a log of negative stigma associated with Skype, however  
one needs to look at the implementation before throwing in the legal  
buzzwords.  There have already been other open-source projects (yes, GPL  
ones too) that use the Skype 'API'.

Have a look at my source code if you're worried.  It links with glib, and  
uses x11 (could use dbus) and win32 libraries.  That's it.  Perfectly safe  
for including in libpurple :)