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List:       kde-licensing
Subject:    LGPL + Apache License
From:       TJ Mather <tjmather () maxmind ! com>
Date:       2002-12-04 6:11:17
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I'm interested in contributing a MS Excel export filter for KSpread
to KOffice.  The filter would be based on the Apache Licensed POI library
and would be linked to the KSpread application which falls under the
LGPL.  Before KOffice can accept the code, they need to be sure
that this combination would be allowed under the LGPL license.

I believe this is allowed.  Since the Apache POI library contains no code 
from KSpread, it is considered "work that uses the Library", and falls 
under sections 5 and 6 of the LGPL, which allow for linking 
non-LGPL libraries, under a certain set of conditions.  However
I'm no licensing expert, so I would appreciate if somebody more 
experienced in these matters could offer their opinion.

Here is how it would look if POI was the "work that uses the Library"

+--------------------+
|   QT Libraries     |
|   QPL License      |
+--------------------+
         |
       Linked
         |
+--------------------+
|   KDElibs/KSpread  |
|   LPGL License     |
+--------------------+
         |
  Loadable Module, plugin API
         |
+--------------------+
|   libkspreadexport |
|   LGPL             |
+--------------------+
         |
       Linked
         |
+--------------------+
|   MS Excel Filter  |
|    BSD License     |
+--------------------+
         |
       Linked
         |
+--------------------+
| Apache POI Library | Compatible with LGPL as "work that uses the Library"
|   ASL License      | b/c it contains no kspread/LGPL code.
+--------------------+

-TJ

PS. Here's the relevant thread on the koffice-devel mailing list:
http://lists.kde.org/?t=103837803300001&r=1&w=2

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