That's not the case. Though the act of distribution, you incur more responsibility than just through use. There are also conflicts amongst different linking methods, too. This isn't clear cut. What -is- clear cut is that to host it on code.google.com it needs to be open source and the required library isn't...
On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 5:35 PM, StefanKueng <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Dec 3, 3:41 am, Ben Collins-Sussman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> On Tue, Dec 2, 2008 at 5:34 PM, John Stoner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> > I have an open-source, GPL-licensed project. I am considering hosting >> > with Google Code. My code has a dependency on a closed-source library. >> > The author of that library is ok with me redistributing his object >> > file, but is unwilling to make his source available. Can I include his >> > jar with my code on Google Code? >> >> You have a bigger problem: if you have a GPL'd piece of software that >> links to something else, that "something else" must *also* be GPL'ed >> as well. (This is what some people call the 'viral' nature of GPL.) >> GPL software isn't allowed to depend on non-opensourced (specifically, >> non-GPL-compatible) software. You'll either need to persuade the >> author to opensource his library, or stop depending on it and find >> some other compatible substitute. Until that happens, it's against >> the Google Code Terms of Service to host non-open-source code... you >> won't be allowed to include this jar. > > Are you sure? Isn't it the other way around? non-open-source code must > not use GPL'd code (that's the viral part). But GPL software can use > libs that aren't even open source (no matter what license). > > Otherwise there would be no GPL software allowed to run on Windows, or > GPL'd plugins for e.g., iTunes :) > > Stefan > > > -- Open Source Programs Manager, Google Inc. Google's Open Source and Developer programs can be found at http://code.google.com Personal Site and Weblog: http://dibona.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Hosting at Google Code" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/google-code-hosting?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
