[sword-devel] Still more about licencing <groan>

[Lynn Allan]

<Please ignore if you have already had more than enough questions from this
scribbler re GPL ... PLEASE. Step.Away.From.The .Keyboard ...
There.Is.Nothing.Here.To.See :-)>

I believe I now have a reasonably coherent working knowledge re GPL, The
CrossWire Bible Society, and the proposed LcdBible software. Thanks very
much for the "enthusiastic" contributions from the following and more. I
have seen grace and forebearance in action during this thread.
Chris Little
Derek Neighbors
Eeli Kaikkonen
and especially (drum roll please :-):

Ka-shu Wong if for no other reason that his/her closing tag:
#include <standard-ianal-disclaimer.h>
Is my reading of ianal = I-Am-Not-A-Lawyer correct? :-) rotfl

In followup to those who patiently provided info re "the error of my ways",
I would amend my earlier eMail:
>> * To ethically/legally have access to The SWORD Project's
>> .modules/texts/*.*, it must use the sword-api to retrieve verses. This
>> corresponds to the "A" + "B" you describe. Thus, this version must
release
>> with GPL.

I will now proceed under the following understandings:
* that it would be legal but unethical (and unappreciative and lazy and
prone to break in the future) for a proposed "front-end" such as LcdBible to
get verses from uncompressed Bible texts such as the KJV, WEB, and BBE
without using the sword-api. This would put it in the category of Chris
Little's aptly described "VerseMonger" :-) (and could still be done as an
inappropriately named VerseMonger.org non-profit)

* Many/most of these modules (especially uncompressed ones) are public
domain and/or freeware. In a sense, The CrossWire Bible Society is providing
a service in making them freely downloadable with few or no restrictions
(other than the conscience of purveyors of "VerseMonger" software.)

* Even the embedded "tags" within the KJV are public domain and/or open
source and *NOT* GPL.

* Continuing, there are no *legal* restrictions to prevent VerseMonger.com
from blatantly copying the modules now residing on SWORD Project servers  to
their server and charging gullible visitors to download these modules. (such
as the KJV and others, even those with embedded tags which were placed there
by volunteers of The SWORD Project)

* <an aside> These texts might be candidates for the specialized gnu license
for documents?
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html#DocumentationLicenses

* The CrossWire Bible Society has the legal option to use encrypted and/or
non-standard compression on all/most modules to aggresively discourage
"VerseMonger" purveyors. This would pretty much force use of the sword-api.
It would probably not be difficult to embed "goofy tags" to break the
VerseMonger.com's of the world.  "Rel 2.x isn't done until VerseMonger won't
run :-)

<Another aside: perhaps we aren't Biblical in attempting to "crimp" the
VerseMongers of the World. Please ignore if you have already had more than
enough of this scribblers exposition of the Holy Bible. Can we first be
Bereans in this matter?>

12 But I would you should understand, brothers, that the things which
happened to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all
other places;
14 And many of the brothers in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are
much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good
will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add
affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the
gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth,
Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Philippians 1:12-18 AKJV

Sharing the reason for the season,
http://learningcards.eeworks.org/EeCard01.html

Lynn Allan l.allan@att.net