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Winamp deletes entire GitHub source code repo after a rocky few weeks

(arstechnica.com)
431 points dangle1 | 2 comments | 16 Oct 24 16:34 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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fsflover ◴[16 Oct 24 17:19 UTC] No.41861478[source]▶
Related: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41662105

Winamp contained modified GPL code, violating the GPL (github.com/winampdesktop)

18 points by mepian 19 days ago | 6 comments

replies(2): >>41861657 #>>41861961 #
bscphil ◴[16 Oct 24 18:11 UTC] No.41861961[source]▶
I can't see the original issue, but it's interesting that the title chooses to highlight the fact that the GPL code was modified. Actually, under the GPL, this fact is immaterial. If the Winamp player contained any GPL code at all, modified or not, then it is a derivative work of that GPL code and anyone receiving a copy of Winamp is entitled to demand the full corresponding source be provided under a GPL license.
replies(4): >>41862254 #>>41862325 #>>41863354 #>>41864002 #
kccqzy ◴[16 Oct 24 18:36 UTC] No.41862254[source]▶
The original issue was complaining about libdiscid which is under the LGPL license not GPL. With that license, linking to an unmodified library in proprietary software is fine. What's not fine is to link to a modified library without releasing the source code for that modification. (Of course here the modification is extremely simple so some concludes this is a nothing burger.) The original poster likely knew the LGPL difference and that's why everyone became fixated on finding the modifications to the library rather than the fact of linking itself.
replies(2): >>41863210 #>>41863572 #
1. hulitu ◴[16 Oct 24 20:01 UTC] No.41863210[source]▶
> Of course here the modification is extremely simple so some concludes this is a nothing burger

But still a modification.

replies(1): >>41866542 #
2. harry8 ◴[17 Oct 24 04:58 UTC] No.41866542[source]▶
the point here is to solve the problem of linking to an LGPL licensed library, to comply you can:

a) release the code of the original LPGL licensed library

b) release it with a patch of any modifications, ie the small change here

c) nothing else. zero. No license changes. No other code of the app affected. No app code needs to be released.

And you are compliant with the LGPL license and can get on with life. So this is not a big deal the way GPL code in the app would be which would require the app code to be re-licensed and released to comply, which is a huge deal and difficult to accomplish.