On 2006-08-16, Alexander Terekhov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > One must be a total idiot to think that a preexisting BSD library is > a derivative work of the GPL'd "application". Are you a total idiot, > Merijn?
The idiot is the one who can't read. I said that "Your application might be a derivative work of the library.", not vice versa. So how can you possibly think I said the library is derivative of the application? And my point, which no doubt you are incapable of grasping even though I will spell it out for you now, was this. If you distribute a very big program that contains as one component a GPL-licensed program, you must include the source of all the components of the very big program. The only exception here is if you provide a mere aggregation of components. GPL 2(b): "You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License." I'll spell it out for you: CONTAINS ***OR*** is DERIVED. The OP had a preexisting library linked against a GPL application. GPL 2(b) requires him to include the source of both when he distributes the combination. Regardless of whether the library is a derivative of both, because he distributes both in combination. You're going to argue now that the library is an independent and separate work in itself, probably with this quote: "If identifiable sections of that work are not derived from the Program, and can be reasonably considered independent and separate works in themselves, then this License, and its terms, do not apply to those sections when you distribute them as separate works." (you'll probably also quote the "mere aggregation" clause) To spare the rest of the audience your usual invective, let me respond rightaway. In the next sentence, the GPL says: "But when you distribute the same sections as part of a whole which is a work based on the Program, the distribution of the whole must be on the terms of this License, whose permissions for other licensees extend to the entire whole, and thus to each and every part regardless of who wrote it." And, BTW, your father was a hamster and your mother smelled of elderberries. Merijn -- Remove +nospam to reply _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
