Plugin Development Questions (Database Related) (1 Viewer)

[Mike Lowrey]

Melloware
I've already read the article about wp and i can tell you only what i think... and as long as "the authors" of the GPL say "we mean linking to libraries is derive work" and while keeping in mind that the LGPL mainly adresses this issue i would say it's against the GPL.

But i also think that the discussion about what the GPL says is unimportant if the devs of mp will post what they think. (It's a bit like with "Mono" and .Net as long as Microsoft say that they will not use their patents against Mono it's no problem...)

 

[tourettes]

But i also think that the discussion about what the GPL says is unimportant if the devs of mp will post what they think. (It's a bit like with "Mono" and .Net as long as Microsoft say that they will not use their patents against Mono it's no problem...)

It wont be that simple since MP has lot of 3rd party GPL code as well so we cannot give any insteructions that deviate from the GPL lisencing itself. I don't know the GPl lisence hat good that I would be able to comment the actual issue itself.

 

[Melloware]

To be honest, I am not sure there will be a market for a commercial MP music plugin.

Please do not see this a negative feedback. Just sharing my opinion on the facts available to me. For all I know you have lots of secrets that will proof me wrong

I appreciate everyone's feedback. Rekenaar, you might be right about their being no place for a commercial plugin for MP.

The plugin I wanted to build is this...

MonkeyTunes - DACP Server for MediaMonkey

I currently have a DACP server for MediaMonkey which gives iPhones/iPads/iPods/Android device a TRUE two way remote. I know their is currently iPimp but that is still a web based browser remote. User want a native remote on their mobile device and if you have ever used Apple Remote for iTunes it is a superior UI and product that also supports Apple TV. If you are unfamiliar with it check out this link...

http://www.apple.com/itunes/remote/



My MonkeyTunes plugin is currently C# code so porting and making a similar MP plugin was my thought since I currently sell my MonkeyTunes plugin and it gets rave reviews from users. So I thought since MP was C# this would be my logical next port. But I think it will have to be Banshee since that is also C# and it is Mozilla-licensed.

But the GPL unfortunately is just too restrictive to allow this happen.

 

[tourettes]

But the GPL unfortunately is just too restrictive to allow this happen.

You could always build a proxy plugin for MP and make it GPL. Then you can keep the "business logic" in closed source code.

 

[Melloware]

You could always build a proxy plugin for MP and make it GPL. Then you can keep the "business logic" in closed source code.

Interesting. But if the proxy plugin is calling code isn't that still technically the same issue? So if the proxy plugin just has all the MP code in it and it delegates business logic off the a C# Library DLL isn't that still a dynamically linked library and thus subject to the GPL?

I think this would be the best route and it was how I designed it anyway with MediaMonkey,. All of the MediaMonkey code is in one class and the rest of the logic is in my library. I just happen to package the entire plugin up for install convenience. I think I will go ahead with this plan if anyone doesn't object.

 

[Mike Lowrey]

But if the proxy plugin is calling code isn't that still technically the same issue?

No because it's not forbidden to link to a non-gpl library in a gpl licensed software...
Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)

So the proxy is GPL as well and links to mp and to your non-gpl library.

 

[SilentException]

I think ForTheRecord functions in similar way. Plugin for MePo is open source while back end is closed. So, that's OK, if you want to go that route.

 

[Melloware]

Thanks for all the great info guys. I will check out ForTheRecord.