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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Chris Travers wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>> </span>Here's a hypothetical.<br><br><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>First I need to ask you: Which company (FossGames LLC or EvilCorp Inc) is my client? :-)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Second, I would defer my answer until I reread <u>Sega v. Accolade</u> [1], which as I recall suggested that FossGames and EvilCorp don’t need each other’s permission to write video games with their own music under licenses of their choice.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>/Larry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>[1] <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_v._Accolade">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_v._Accolade</a> <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Lawrence Rosen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Rosenlaw & Einschlag, a technology law firm (<a href="http://www.rosenlaw.com">www.rosenlaw.com</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>3001 King Ranch Rd., Ukiah, CA 95482<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Office: 707-485-1242<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Chris Travers [mailto:chris@metatrontech.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 03, 2013 5:46 AM<br><b>To:</b> Lawrence Rosen; license-discuss@opensource.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [License-discuss] Differences between GPL and LGPL<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I don't entirely disagree with you.<br><br>My reading of the LGPL however is that it offers a safe harbor from the derivation requirements if the vehicle for that derivation is linking. I don't think linking is either necessary or sufficient for derivation. I don't even think it is usually that relevant. However, there are at least some cases where it might come into play.<br><br>Here's a hypothetical.<br><br>Suppose FossGames, LLC releases a video game music player engine under the LGPL along with an embedded MIDI synthesizer which produces a distinctive, and artistic sound. Let's say further that it comes with a set of built-in MIDI sequences. Let's say further that EvilCorp Inc releases a closed source video game which uses FossGames MIDI engine and even their built in music, all by linking to FossGames' engine, which they publish on their web site, as minimally required by the LGPL. FossGames sues EvilCorp alleging that EvilCorp's game is an audiovisual work which infringes on their right to make derivative works of the music embedded in their MIDI engine. EvilCorp responds saying that the LGPL offers a safe harbor where linking, and invoking routines in linked libraries, is the means of that derivation. By my reading EvilCorp wins summary judgement (which they would not win with the GPL) or am I missing something?<br><br>I can't think of any other case where it clearly makes a difference though.<br><br>Best Wishes,<br>Chris Travers<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>