Re: [gnugo-devel] endgame module for GNU Go

[Paul Pogonyshev]

Arend wrote:

> > If you simply intend to ship GNU Go bundled with your program, and the
> > only connection between the two is over GTP, then there is no issue. 
> > I think you should also make the source for the version of GNU Go
> > available, but other than that it doesn't sound like there's a problem
> > with what you want to do.
> 
> I don't think it is so easy. The question is whether your work should be
> considered "derived work" of GNU Go. If you only use the standard GTP
> commands, then it is probably not. But with the GNU Go-specific GTP
> commands, you can get quite deep into the engine internals. Then it might
> be less clear.
> 
> For example our debugging GUI view.pike might very well be considered a
> derived work of GNU Go. (It would not work with any other engine at
> all.)

While I'm not an expert either, I strongly believe you are wrong.  It
doesn't matter that `view.pike' relies on GNU Go-specific GTP commands, this
doesn't make it a derivative work.

For work B to be derivative of A, it has to include some pieces of A or be
"non-separatable" in some way.  The latter option is fuzzy and it has to be
decided in the court.  For instance, FSF's position is that dynamic linking
of a library constitutes a derivative work (i.e. the program is derivative
of the library), but many disagree.  But using a certain communication
protocol, even if with program-specific parts, is a way to weak connection
to establish a derivation.

Paul

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