On December 10, 2001 06:11 am, you wrote: > colin wrote: > > Also, I don't think you (Jeroen and User1) really understand the GPL. You > > can't "sheild" proprietory code from the GPL by an LGPL layer. > > This is true. > > > Proprietory > > code and GPL code can only coexist under two circumstances: 1) the > > copyright holder grants an specific excetion or relicenses under a > > different license to permit this coexistance and 2) the inherent > > exception that allows GPL programs on proprietory OSes or proprietory > > programs on GPL OSes, where either can run without the other and so is > > not considered a "derived work". > > Or 3) The explicit exception in GPL[*] which allows GPLed programs to be > written for, and run on, operating systems which are not themselves > GPLed. This would allow Plex86 to be hosted on Windows even if it were > GPLed (which I am not suggesting). > > [*] 3. ... However, as a special exception, the source code distributed > need not include anything that is normally distributed (in either source > or binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) > of the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that > component itself accompanies the executable.
I think that was my case 2. Anyway it doesn't apply because you actually have to create a kernel level module for windows and the only practical way I know of to do that uses the Microsoft DDK, which has its own licensing requirements. You'd better believe there are licensing conflicts between an MS license and GPL. And if anyone cares, the libc exception can be found in gcc 3 stl headers (in /usr/src/g++-v3/...): // As a special exception, you may use this file as part of a free software // library without restriction. Specifically, if other files instantiate // templates or use macros or inline functions from this file, or you compile // this file and link it with other files to produce an executable, this // file does not by itself cause the resulting executable to be covered by // the GNU General Public License. This exception does not however // invalidate any other reasons why the executable file might be covered by // the GNU General Public License. I've been working on a commercial project that cares about theses issues. I'm much more aware of licensing problems than I want to be right now. Colin
