X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?p=8sync.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=doc%2F8sync.texi;h=bf7484ce70ea880ef4723cb99ddca4c77c4fc7b6;hp=1f6180dec59818718dd6a8f5cbff4b710d4d2741;hb=353606f9b73911aff68420707db0174641873a3e;hpb=5346d999193364cb7b8354768759ffc0bcf49ed1 diff --git a/doc/8sync.texi b/doc/8sync.texi index 1f6180d..bf7484c 100644 --- a/doc/8sync.texi +++ b/doc/8sync.texi @@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ A little over a month after that, hacking on 8sync began! The short version of this is that if you distribute a modifications to 8sync, whether alone or in some larger combination, must release the corresponding source code. +A program which uses this library, if distributed without source code, + must also allow relinking with a modified version of this library. In general, it is best to contribute them back to 8sync under the same terms; we'd appreciate any enhancements or fixes to be contributed upstream to 8sync itself. @@ -148,19 +150,30 @@ In general, it is best to contribute them back to 8sync under the same terms; for the precise terms.) This usage of the LGPL helps us ensure that 8sync and derivatives of -8sync as a library will remain free. -However, we cannot provide the same freedom-protecting requirements for - applications built on top of 8sync. + 8sync as a library will remain free. Though it is not a requirement, we request you use 8sync to build free software rather than use it to contribute to the growing world of proprietary software. -The choice of the LGPL for 8sync was a strategic one, though in general, - we encourage stronger copyleft. +The choice of the LGPL for 8sync was a strategic one. +This is not a general recommendation to use the LGPL instead of the GPL + for all libraries. +In general, we encourage stronger copyleft. (For more thinking on this position, see @uref{https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-not-lgpl.html, Why you shouldn't use the Lesser GPL for your next library}.) +Although 8sync provides some unique features, its main functionality is as + an asynchronous event loop, and there are many other asynchronous event + loop systems out there such as Node.js for Javascript and Asyncio for + Python (there are others as well). +It is popular in some of these communities to hold anti-copyleft positions, + which is unfortunate, and many community members seem to be adopting + these positions because other developers they look up to are holding + them. +If you have come from one of these communities and are exploring 8sync, we + hope reading this will help you reconsider your position. + In particular, if you are building a library or application that uses 8sync in some useful way, consider releasing your program under the GNU GPL or GNU AGPL!