Hi, Sun wrote the SISSL, and uses LGPL as well (in a dual-license configuration) for OpenOffice.org, so I thought I should take a stab at explaining the differences. BTW, IANAL.
SISSL and LGPL are both Free and Open Source licenses, meaning that they satisfy the requirements of both the Free Software Foundation and the Open Source Initiative. The LGPL is essentially identical to the GPL, except that it allows an exception to the inheritance characteristic of the GPL when derivative works are created through "dynamic" linking. In other words, non-GPL code can be used together with LGPL code as long as it is combined in a way that leaves the LGPL software independent and functioning with or without the non-GPL code (for example, run-time linking of a driver or library through an API abstraction layer). The SISSL acts essentially like a BSD license, allowing code reuse as long as that reuse does not deviate from the referenced standard(s) (in the case of OpenOffice.org, the standards referenced are the OpenOffice.org APIs and the OpenOffice.org file formats). If code reuse deviates from the standards, then the license begins to act more like the GPL, requiring the author of the derivative work to reveal the changes to the standards either by revealing code as implemented or by revealing a specification and generic reference implementation. The reason for the "either/or" option is to encourage proprietary companies to use SISSL code without fear that they will be forced to reveal their "secret sauce" code as actually implemented, since a specification and reference implementation are enough to allow other SISSL community members to make use of new APIs or formats. Hope this helps, Danese On Wednesday, August 21, 2002, at 06:41 PM, Con Hennessy wrote: > Hi, > Is there any site which does a point by point comparison of > the various differnet licenses ? > In particular I am interested in knowing what are the basic differences > between the LGPL and the Sun Industry Standards Source License (SISSL) ? > What advantages/disadvantages do I have with on or the other ? > Thanks > Con > -- > license-discuss archive is at http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3 -- license-discuss archive is at http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3