I don't think that the "desert island" thought experiment has anything to do with web services.
The purpose of the "desert island" "test" is to show why software like postcardware ("send me a postcard if you use my software") is not Free Software. While the situation is not exactly the same, consider whether Debian should include software that operates a printer. The ROM inside this particular printer is not Free Software, and there's probably no other purpose to the output of the program except when used in conjunction with the printer. Should Debian exclude this printer driver merely because of the non-freeness of the printer's ROM? What about the case where the printer is only offered for lease, not for sale? If the answer to either of the above is "yes", should the "desert island" test be cited since there's no way for the poor fellow on the island to order that printer for delivery to his island? I think the answer to any of these questions is "no". Jeff PS Besides which, there are lots of uses for the hypothetical network client or printer driver even in the absence of any working server or printer in the universe. For instance, studying the client is useful in creating a compatible server, and studying the driver is useful in creating a decoder that can transform printer data into a page image in a portable format. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-legal-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20111216152946.ga12...@unpythonic.net