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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    kdelibs (L)GPL question - just to be sure
From:       mh <crapsite () gmx ! net>
Date:       2000-12-31 12:26:59
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Hi,
sorry for this newbie licensing question, but I just want to be sure
that I'm not violating a license here :-)

In my Qt2.2.x app (GPL) I make use of the KProcess class (LGPL).
After reading several threads on qt-interest, I thought
this isn't a problem at all, but now, after reading 
"KDE 2 Development" I'm not longer sure that I don't break
a license.

In order to use the KProcess class, I had to make some small modifications.
The code is compiled with my app, and not as a seperate library.

From "KDE 2 Development":

"May I use individual files from the library?"

"Yes, if you are careful. The files must be included in yet another shared
library. You may not compile them directly into your application unless your
application is licensed under the GPL. That is to say, all LGPL code that is
removed from a library is automatically re-licensed under the GPL. If you
insert this file into another shared library, you must ensure that this new
library is licensed under the LGPL or GPL. In short, you may not ever insert a
LGPL file into a nonfree application or library."

and

"May I modify the library?"

"Yes, as long as you redistribute your modified library under the LGPL or GPL.
If you make modifications but do not want to redistribute the entire library,
or if you want to use a different license, you should treat your modifications
as individual files and refer to the previous question."

Does this mean
1. what I'm currently doing (adding some modified files of a LGPL'd library 
to a GPL'd app) is simply illegal.

2. that the LGPL classes automatically turn in GPL code, and therfore there's
no problem at all? If this is true, is it necessary to put an additional
copyright notice in front of these modified classes ?

Could someone please explain this?

Thanks a lot,
Michael




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