On Wed, 7 Apr 2010 10:32:54 -0600 Kimball Larsen <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've got a question about the legal use of some software licensed > under the GPL in conjunction with commercial software I'm writing. > In particular, I'd like to allow my commercial software installer to > install a full copy of GhostScript, then have my commercial software > make a command-line call to the installation of GhostScript to > convert a PDF to a JPG. > > If you are to believe the Artifex website (owners of GhostScript) > this is not allowed. > > If you are to believe the GPL website, this is allowed. > > Anyone have some experience or knowledge on this topic? "Versions entitled GPL Ghostscript are distributed with the GNU General Public License, which allows free use, and free copying and redistribution under certain conditions (including, in some cases, commercial distribution). Releases made prior to 2004 were part of the GNU project and were titled GNU Ghostscript. The current development code is available under a more restrictive license as AFPL Ghostscript. A commercial version is also available from Artifex Software." http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/doc/GPL/index.htm The web site at http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/ lists GPL Ghostscript 8.64 released 2009-02-03 as the most recent, but Ubuntu Lucid and Sourceforge both have 8.71. http://sourceforge.net/projects/ghostscript/ If I remember correctly, there is a dual license scheme. Artifex Software issues their code under their more restrictive license, then later re-issues it under the GPL. Rather than simply install Ghostscript, I'd first check to see it it is already installed. If it is, I think you can presume it is there legally, and that you are relieved of any legal burden. Only if it isn't installed should you install it. My non-lawyerly guess is that if you stick to the GPLled code, you should be able to do what you want as long as you comply with the GPL. I.e. tell the user you are including Ghostscript, that it is GPLled, that you are required under the terms of the GPL to tell them where to get the source for Ghostscript, and point them at a source. Many years ago RMS indicated that simply providing a URL did not satisfy him because not everyone is on the net. So you had to be able to ship it on request. I don't know if that is authoritative, still RMS' opinion, or what. -- Charles Curley /"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign Looking for fine software \ / Respect for open standards and/or writing? X No HTML/RTF in email http://www.charlescurley.com / \ No M$ Word docs in email Key fingerprint = CE5C 6645 A45A 64E4 94C0 809C FFF6 4C48 4ECD DFDB /* PLUG: http://plug.org, #utah on irc.freenode.net Unsubscribe: http://plug.org/mailman/options/plug Don't fear the penguin. */
