I have a licensing question about FluidSynth. Let's say I'm creating a
closed-source DAW, and I want to include a VSTi SoundFont synth based on
FluidSynth. If I create the VSTi synth as a separate, GPL-licensed
plugin with available source code, can I sell the DAW software with the
FluidSynth VSTi bundled?
I checked the GNU FAQ, which says the following:
Q: Can I release a non-free program that's designed to load a
GPL-covered plug-in?
A: It depends on how the program invokes its plug-ins. For instance,
if the program uses only simple fork and exec to invoke and
communicate with plug-ins, then the plug-ins are separate programs, so
the license of the plug-in makes no requirements about the main program.
If the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function
calls to each other and share data structures, we believe they form a
single program, which must be treated as an extension of both the main
program and the plug-ins. In order to use the GPL-covered plug-ins,
the main program must be released under the GPL or a GPL-compatible
free software license, and that the terms of the GPL must be followed
when the main program is distributed for use with these plug-ins.
If the program dynamically links plug-ins, but the communication
between them is limited to invoking the ‘main’ function of the plug-in
with some options and waiting for it to return, that is a borderline case.
Using shared memory to communicate with complex data structures is
pretty much equivalent to dynamic linking.
I believe this would cover my proposed scenario, but I want to be sure.
Thanks-in-advance,
-~Chris
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