Also on this topic came the subject of diff files. IIRC someone wanted to include them to help users make use of Microsoft headers that needed a bit of tweaking.
Are diff files that are patches to Microsoft code legal to be distributed? They have bits of Microsoft code in them, but are they a derivative work? Thanks, Scott Ritchie On Tue, 2005-02-01 at 19:16 -0800, Ira Krakow wrote: > Jeremy, > > I agree - this is an exciting development. Microsoft's > ability to spread FUD and their legal budget are > enormous. We need this kind of expert help. > > Here's an area where I'd like an expert opinion. In > the Winelib part of the Wine book, I'd like to include > an example of converting a Microsoft VC++ 6.0 MFC > application. This is Winelib's primary target, in my > opinion. My question is: how far can I go? There > are proprietary Microsoft header files that need to be > included - does the Microsoft EULA allow disclosure of > what these header files are? Or is it only legally > safe to say something generic like "....figure out for > yourself which header files you need to #include..."? > > In general, I think Microsoft has to tread lightly on > the issue of running Microsoft apps in Linux. > Certainly, they're within their rights to hang up if a > Linux/Winword user calls the help desk. But going > after a company who legally pays for Winword licenses > and runs Winword in Linux/Wine is another matter, > bringing up the antitrust bogeyman again. Getting an > expert legal opinion on this would be very useful. > IMHO, even if Microsoft was legally on solid footing, > it would be a huge PR disaster for them. Eventually, > these issues will come to a head. > > Ira > > >