On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 08:44, Computer Mail wrote;
> If I create a program that just queries data from a
> MySQL table and processes it...am I required to
> release that program under the GPL?
No. The below;
0. This License applies to any program or other work which contains
a notice placed by the copyright holder saying it may be
distributed under the terms of this General Public License.
The "Program", below, refers to any such program or work, and a
"work based on the Program" means either the Program or any
derivative work under copyright law: that is to say, a work
containing the Program or a portion of it, either verbatim or
with modifications and/or translated into another language.
RMS has made it quite clear that a "work based on the program" means
that you're linking the programs together, as with `ld' (or a *very*
similar logical equivalent). Bundling GNU products with commercial
software is openly encouraged.
The output is unrestricted;
Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are
not covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act
of running the Program is not restricted, and the output from the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Program is covered only if its contents constitute a work based on
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the Program (independent of having been made by running the
^^^^^^^^^^^
Program). Whether that is true depends on what the Program does.
This clause does not catch the output from a MySQL server.
On the other hand, if you were to link the MySQL binary directly into
your program - avoiding the SQL server - then you would need to
purchase a commercial license from MySQL AB to avoid the requirement
for the derived work to be covered by the GPL.
--
Sam Vilain, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than
to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
-- Mahatma Gandhi
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