On Thu, Jun 08, 2017 at 10:00:03PM +0300, Uoti Urpala wrote: > On Thu, 2017-06-08 at 17:14 +0000, Zbigniew Jędrzejewski-Szmek wrote: > > On Thu, Jun 08, 2017 at 06:03:37PM +0200, Julian Andres Klode wrote: > > > I'm not sure where you get that from. The usual interpretation is that > > > linking to a GPLed library means the linked work must be GPL as well. > > > > I don't think that's true. It only must have a compatible license. > > I think that is the default FSF position. There are at least some cases > where it's likely not automatic (for example, if there's a widespread > API/ABI that is provided by both GPLed and differently-licensed > libraries, an executable that works with both seems to have at least a > reasonable claim to not being a derivative work). However, assuming > that using a library may make the executable a derivative work seems to > be the only safe default assumption.
Yes, FSF seems to be saying that, but I don't think this makes sense. The copyright is about protecting the creative part of a given work, and just using the API does not incorporate or copy the creative process used to create the library. > If the only thing you know is that some code uses the library, that may > mean things like nontrivial inline functions being included in the > compiled code, or copy relocations copying arbitrary amounts of data > into an executable. It seems pretty clear that this can be considered a > derived work. So I don't think you can ever claim that GPL wouldn't > cover the linked work without at least some analysis of the specific > library in question and how it's used in the program. (I'm ignoring copy relocations which happen at runtime.) You are right that a program compiled against a "header library" would be most likely be a derivative work. But still, this is a special case. I'm not claiming that GPL wouldn't apply ever, but that it doesn't in the common case of a program calling a few functions from a separately distributed library. Zbyszek P.S. I think there's a lot of politicking on the FSF website, which undermines their credibility: "GNU/Linux is used by millions, though many call it “Linux” by mistake." "We recommend installable versions of GNU (more precisely, GNU/Linux distributions)" Seriously. _______________________________________________ systemd-devel mailing list systemd-devel@lists.freedesktop.org https://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/systemd-devel
