Michael T. Babcock wrote:
What you say is that the API is in my application. The API is part of MySQL. Therefore my application is GPL or needs a licence.Ben Clewett wrote:MySQL say that this is an extension of the application, and therefore breaks the GPL, and therefore a licence is needed. They are however, the only big GPL user who thinks this way.No they're not. The issue is not the use of the server (as previously discussed a few weeks back), but the library. If you use the older library version (which is LGPL'd), you can basically do as you please as you believe you should be able to. As the new library is under the GPL, you can't legally link it to a non-GPL-compatible program at all (without purchasing a different license).
Therefore, if I was to use ODBC, I would not be using your API in my application, and could install MySQL under the GPL and use my application without licence? (If I so choose.)
You forget that (as someone else pointed out, perhaps Ben) MySQL's Copyright still lies with MySQL AB. You can fork the code and modify and distribute it _under the GPL_ but that doesn't buy you anything -- you don't then have the right to link it against a commercial program or even to relicense it. All you have is a renamed version of MySQL that is still under the GPL. That's not what you're hoping for, is it?This may be true. I am a programmer, not a solicitor. It does seem to fly in the face of Ritchard Stallman's origional idea and intent of the GPL. So your software may be folked, but then not used as it then violates some other law. If that's the case, so be it. I better copyright all my GPL projects ASAP...
Many people here are perfectly happy with the GPL, I might add. I license all my MySQL-related code under the GPL. I don't distribute it to anyone, so its not terribly relevant, but its well marked and noted as being either GPL'd or for personal use only (most of which is GPL'd as well).I wish I had that sort of job.... I would prefer this option. Unfortunatelly I am a dying breed of employed programmer selling commercial applications. Maybe my own applications will be replaced with a GPL ones. I might even wright them my self. Until then, saving money on erronious licence fees payes for my family to eat. Where, if I may, I would love to leave this....
I don't write much commercial, non-GPL code. I write a lot of commercial and GPL'd code though, and so do many other people (like MySQL AB). You might want to consider it too.
Ben
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