On Oct 11, 2:57 pm, "Alfred M. Szmidt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > (1) Can I dynamically link my application with free libraries > > > already present on the target system, even if they're GPL'ed? > > > (specifically, libbfd, part of binutils, I believe; and gdbm) > > > > Not without first consulting a good copyright lawyer experienced in Free > > Software law. The FSF says that what you propose to do would infringe > > their copyrights. Perhaps you could be a teat case. > > I am mighty confused now. Are you saying that what I'm planning to > do is not possible? > > Correct, you cannot link non-free software with a GPL library. > > If not, why? > > The end result contains code from a GPL program, and the GPL states > that the whole work has to be licensed under the same terms. > > From the GNU GPL FAQ: > > | I'd like to incorporate GPL-covered software in my proprietary > | system. Can I do this? > > | You cannot incorporate GPL-covered software in a proprietary > | system. The goal of the GPL is to grant everyone the freedom to > | copy, redistribute, understand, and modify a program. If you > | could incorporate GPL-covered software into a non-free system, > | it would have the effect of making the GPL-covered software > | non-free too.
May I jump in here for a moment? I've never really been able to understand this exactly. Why wasn't the license made so that it would only require you release the _GPL-covered parts_ under GPL and distribute them in such a way that they remain free -- why does it take releasing the original parts of the package TOO in order to keep the GPL stuff free? _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list gnu-misc-discuss@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss