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List:       debian-devel
Subject:    Re: Bug#366834: ITP: cxxtools -- library of unrelated, but useful C++ classes
From:       Don Armstrong <don () debian ! org>
Date:       2006-05-12 5:58:08
Message-ID: 20060512055808.GZ3102 () volo ! donarmstrong ! com
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On Thu, 11 May 2006, martin f krafft wrote:
> also sprach Josselin Mouette <joss@debian.org> [2006.05.11.2219 +0200]:
> > I think this is the whole point of licensing a library under the GPL.
> 
> For me the point of a library is code reuse. Putting a library under
> the GPL is more of a political statement.

Preserving user freedom by requiring those who use your library comply
with the GPL may be a political statement in part,[1] but then again,
so is the entire Free Software movement.
 
> > There's not much point in using a copyleft if you allow
> > proprietary applications to use the library.
> 
> I still see a difference between cut-n-paste and link-to-library
> code reuse.
> 
> From what I understand, if your product links to a GPL library, you
> have to make it GPL as well. We analysed the situation back when we
> wanted to make libhid Artistic and concluded that we cannnot do that
> because it links against hidparser, which is GPL'd. If our analysis
> was wrong, all the better...

It doesn't have to be GPLed. It needs to be licenced in such a way
that it is possible to comply with the GPL when you distribute a work
which is a derivative of a GPLed work.

This means that you need to either license your work under the GPL, or
a license which is compatible with the GPL. [It also means that you'll
need to provide your source code, but one would hope you were going to
do that anyway.]


Don Armstrong

1: I'd argue strongly that preserving user freedom is much more than a
mere political statement, but then again, some will argue that
preserving freedom of speech and expression is a political statement
as well. Just because something is also political statement doesn't
make it evil or wrong.
-- 
Taxes are not levied for the benefit of the taxed.
 -- Robert Heinlein _Time Enough For Love_ p250

http://www.donarmstrong.com              http://rzlab.ucr.edu

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