Gordon Burditt wrote: [...] > If you link the GPL'd library that implements the API, and > you distribute your code, you probably have to open up your > own code.
------ ICE (FSF's attorneys) on automatic aggregation of software copyrights: In fact, the GPL itself rejects any automatic aggregation of software copyrights under the GPL simply because one program licensed under the GPL is distributed together with another program that is not licensed under the GPL: "In addition, mere aggregation of another work not based on the Program with the Program (or with a work based on the Program) on a volume of a storage or distribution medium does not bring the other work under the scope of this License." Linux kernel v. application: And as the copyright notice in the kernel sources says, user applications are not subject to the GPL. Supported by Hollaar: With dynamically-linked libraries, the application program being distributed is no longer a compilation that includes the library. Because the library is not being distributed with the application program, no permission is needed from the copyright owner of the library for the distribution to users. Users must, of course, be authorized to use the library, but if they are owners of a copy of the library, under Section 117 they can make any adaptations of the library necessary to use it with the application program. FSF GPL FAQ: I'd like to modify GPL-covered programs and link them with the portability libraries from Money Guzzler Inc. I cannot distribute the source code for these libraries, so any user who wanted to change these versions would have to obtained those libraries separately. Why doesn't the GPL permit this? ... http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MoneyGuzzlerInc FAQ as Fact: In 2002, a company named Global Technologies Ltd (now defunct) had ported some 4.5M lines of GPL/BSD and other open source code to Windows using AT&T Uwin. They claimed less than 500 lines had to be changed and all changes went back to original authors. The binaries were distributed from their web site, but one day disappeared. My $50.00 check for a CD distribution of the binaries and source, which indicated $25 gift to FSF, was returned with a letter explaining Moglan threatened legal action for violating the GPL because the code was linked with AT&T uwin's proprietary posix.dll that provided the POSIX interface on windows. Hollaar disagress: Some have claimed that an application program that needs a library for its operation is a derivative work of that library. They take that position because the application program is "based on" the library because it was written to use the subroutines and other aspects of the library. Such a position is misplaced.... No other conclusion makes sense. If it were not the case, then any program using the applications program interfaces (APIs) of an operating system could be considered a derivative work of that operating system. And, under the exclusive right to prepare derivative works, the copyright owner of an operating system such as Microsoft Windows could control who was allowed to write programs for that operating system. What was that automatic rejection again? ------ regards, alexander. _______________________________________________ Gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
