Package: gnuplot Version: 4.0.0-2 Severity: minor Tags: patch Hi,
The following message http://lists.debian.org/debian-science/2005/08/msg00081.html pointed me to the explanation about readline and gnuplot incompatible licenses (that you also addressed in bug #75403). Actually, the GPL does not forbid the linking (it can be done by the user of the software himself, see, for example, http://lists.debian.org/debian-science/2005/08/msg00080.html) but the legal problem is that such linked binaries cannot be legally *distributed* in conformance with both the (incompatible) licenses. Please find a patch that tries to clarify the issue. Thanks for your work on gnuplot and best regards, Frederic Lehobey -- System Information: Debian Release: 3.1 Architecture: i386 (i686) Kernel: Linux 2.6.8-2-k7 Locale: LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=fr_FR.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8) Versions of packages gnuplot depends on: ii gnuplot-nox 4.0.0-2 A command-line driven interactive ii gnuplot-x11 4.0.0-2 X11-terminal driver for gnuplot -- no debconf information
--- README.Debian 2004-05-30 22:29:43.000000000 +0200 +++ /tmp/README.Debian 2005-08-12 23:38:43.572926576 +0200 @@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ Yes, the built in readline of gnuplot is bad. However, libreadline cannot be used instead because it is licensed under the GPL, whereas -gnuplot has special licenses (patches only). Linking those programs -together is forbidden by the GPL. Please don't file bugs telling me to -use libreadline in gnuplot... +gnuplot has special licenses (patches only). Distribution of those +programs linked together is legally impossible but you may rebuild +your own custom package with readline. Please don't file bugs telling +me to use libreadline in gnuplot... Interfaces to other languages
