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List:       kde-licensing
Subject:    Re: QT Designer _NOT_ under QPL.
From:       Kevin Forge <forge () myrealbox ! com>
Date:       2000-08-21 1:06:59
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Joseph Carter wrote:
> 
> On Fri, Aug 18, 2000 at 09:49:56PM -0400, Kevin Forge wrote:
> > > I don't know of any problems with the GPL wrt use for libraries.
> > > Why is it different than for applications?
> >
> > The GPL dose not govern use.  Dynamically linking to a library is using
> > it rather than deriving from it.  This caries some waste when you
> > realize
> > that being linked to is the sole purpose of a library.
> 
> Header files and dynamic object data?  Unless you claim that headers fall
> outside the scope of Copyright.  I don't believe they do.  (And Troll Tech
> certainly didn't when they went after Harmony for using their headers -
> and rightly so IMO as Harmony had no rights to those header files.)

I'm not saying I believe it.  I am saying that's the argument.
( BTW : Spellcheck turned 'weight' into 'waste' ).

What happens when you have a half finished none functional Harmony
under the LGPL and claim to link against that but actually use QT ?

There may be enough of a gray area there for someone to drive a 
truck through and put Troll out of business.  Now that they have 
lots of developers they need high volumes.  It wouldn't be worth
while for a customer to do this but a competitor ( Like Sun :)
would have incentive.

All you need are the same header files.  Troll's threats didn't
scare Harmony as far as I can remember.  It was the QPL that 
killed that project.

Is there any validity to this ?  I don't know.  I do know another 
reason not to put QT under the GPL.  There are programs linked 
against QT that are under other licenses which are of questionable 
compatibility.  Artistic for instance.

This brings up dual licensing.  Hmmm... I prefer that kludge I
suggested some time ago which would alter the terms of the QPL if 
your software were under the GPL.

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