[ohf-licenses] What if copyright didn't apply to binary executables?

[Greg London]

> I wrote a piece in Free Software Magazine:
> "What if copyright didn't apply to binary executables?"

Very nice.

> It was inspired by some discussions with Greg London about hardware
> licenses and "functionality" versus "expression". I think it was Greg
> who first suggested that binaries probably shouldn't have been covered
> by copyright.

I've been thinking about this for a while now,
and my opinion may have changed over time.

I don't have too much of a problem with a binary being
considered a derivative. It's sort of like a translation
into another language. Same work, different language.

However, I would think that -linking- to someone
else's binary should NOT be considered a derivative.
Because linking is a functional action.

Two binaries could be aggregated together in memory,
their only connections are the links which connect them,
which is purely a functional interface connection.

But, that's just me. Obviously, the courts had something
different to say about it.

> (BTW, I put an acknowledgment to you at the end, Greg).

That was very gracious of you.
Thanks.

Greg London