The simple answer is that *calling* kernel libraries is covered as *use* under the GPL. That means that code that is run under Linux does not have to be GPLed. Most libraries are de-facto LGPLed. The simple ahh.. how should I call it? "solution"... is to write a small proxy application that does the actual interactions with iwlib. The proxy is GPLed and its source code can be freely distributed. Your non-GPLed application *uses* the proxy. Since using a GPLed application by a non-GPL one is not a violation of the license, you are legally fine.
Now, let the flames begin ;)) Quoting Ohad Lutzky <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Hello hackers :) > > I'm doing an academic project at the Technion, which relates to > wireless networking. My host wants to use the project as a base for a > free-beer application, but is not willing - at least at this point - > to make the source code available to everyone. > > Now, to utilize wireless networking in Linux, the sensible path seems > to be along iwconfig, which uses iwlib, which in turn uses ioctl calls > to communicate with the wireless extensions in the Linux kernel. Using > iwconfig directly with "system" calls is most likely out of the > question, for being slow, unclean, and perhaps of changing interface. > Using iwlib directly would be a far better option - but it's licensed > under the GPL, and AFAIK linking against a library counts as > 'distributing' it, which would force our software to be under the GPL. > Using ioctl calls directly seems to be in the clear, but we might have > to use hacks from libiw, which would, again, be problematic... > > Can anyone help make the legal situation here clearer? > > > Ohad Lutzky > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Haifa Linux Club Mailing List (http://www.haifux.org) To unsub send an empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
