A few comments

[Ethan Blanton]

Michael spake unto us the following wisdom:
> I'm not sure I understand the problem with making your own source code
> just for your own plugin available for anyone to look at...  It seems to
> be that that would just be free speech.  "I have this following text
> file that says some stuff.  If you have some other text files from
> places x and y, and you agree to terms z, you might be able to do
> something with them.  But you can look at them as much as you want with
> no restrictions"

You can look at it as much as you want -- you just cannot compile it
and link it with Pidgin.

> Because the plugin doesn't modify the source of pidgin, and you are not
> distributing it compiled, I'm not sure I understand how it can even be
> considered a "derivative work."  You just happen to reference some file
> names/functions (but only the names of them, not what they do or how
> they work) that could only be available if someone had already installed
> Pidgin.  All the logic/text of the text file you are distributing was
> created by you and you alone, and since you do not distribute it
> compiled, you are not including any of other peoples' work in your
> file..  Maybe I'm missing something, but I honestly don't understand how
> this violates the GPL legally or even the intent of the GPL. :/

See the discussions about Linux and kernel drivers which are not GPL;
see also the text of the GPL itself.  :-P  The plugin *cannot
function* without Pidgin.  It also includes Pidgin source (headers) at
compilation time, although this is not necessary to the argument.

> Perhaps if you could give me a situation where this would hurt someone..
>  From this example with Skype, it seems pretty simple to me that if
> someone does not agree with Skype's license, they would never bother
> trying to use the plugin..

It's not about hurting someone, it's about complying with the terms of
the license under which Pidgin is distributed.

Ethan

-- 
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws [that have no remedy
for evils].  They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor
determined to commit crimes.
		-- Cesare Beccaria, "On Crimes and Punishments", 1764
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