Apple Releases iOS 4.3 WebKit Source, Still Not LGPL Compliant
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 9th May 2011 21:46 UTC
Apple Apple has released the source code for WebKit in iOS 4.3, which it had been withholding for eight weeks. However, according yo Jay 'saurik' Freeman, they are still not, and never have been, in compliance with the LGPL. "Apple's provided source code (which /is/ heavily modified for the iPhone) [...] isn't even complete enough to compile (it is missing a bunch of code for the WAK* classes), so Apple has simply never been in compliance with this license," Saurik writes. So, it would seem that Apple is still violating the LGPL, and has been doing so for a very long time. Funny how this never makes it to mainstream technology sites. I guess they find their pre-release review devices more important.
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spiderman
Member since:
2008-10-23


You're right about the double standard. But you're wrong about Oracle deserving bashing. They comply with the appropriate licenses. That is all—legally, morally, and ethically—that can be, or should be, expected of them, or of any other corporation, organization, or individual.
Obviously we do not have the same moral standard but at least yours is consistent.

Even allowing for the sake of argument that Apple is or was in violation of the LGPL, why do you even care? Are you a copyright holder for part of WebKit? Did not having that source code harm you in some way?

Yes, I am definitely harmed. Not so much as a developer as of now, although I could hit a wall in the future because of that but as a user, I am definitely harmed. Not having the source code available means some software won't be developed, other software won't interoperate, etc. This code would definitely be useful to someone to create software and I am deprived of this software.

Reply Parent Score: 2

cmchittom Member since:
2011-03-18

Yes, I am definitely harmed. Not so much as a developer as of now, although I could hit a wall in the future because of that....


It seems to me that here you are conflating harm with not receiving a benefit.

...but as a user, I am definitely harmed. Not having the source code available means some software won't be developed, other software won't interoperate, etc.


This is speculation. It may possibly be correct speculation, but it's still speculation; and speculation doesn't show harm.

This code would definitely be useful to someone to create software and I am deprived of this software.


I'm sure it would be useful. But again, here in my view you haven't been harmed—you just haven't received any benefit. Like I said to Thom, I think we're all in agreement that if Apple (or anybody) is in violation of a license, then they should remedy that violation immediately. But even if they are, or were, in violation, as a third party—again, in my opinion—you haven't been harmed; you just haven't received a benefit.

Reply Parent Score: 1

spiderman Member since:
2008-10-23

You are right, they are not harming. They just don't provide benefits. My moral values are a little different than yours though. To me, this is still not acceptable. Apple rides on the work of a lot of people. They monopolize a large amount of resources. It does not cost them to release the code to the public. They can give that back to us for zero cost. At least they can explain why they don't want to open the code. It costs nothing. I believe they owe that to us.

Edited 2011-05-10 19:09 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 3

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