GPL
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GPL
Hi, i'm just wondering about how much cover there is by the GPL. I was just sitting here thinking, and wondering about a few things, as i'm writing a program and need a bit more info.
Taking the source program is open source.
With the GPL, if you were to say modify someone elses code, and all you did was added a check for a dll file or something, and if it doesn't exist run as normal, otherwise let the dll take control, would the dll now become a program of its own? Or would it also be covered by the licence of the original program? Would the dll have to be open source?
Thanks
Taking the source program is open source.
With the GPL, if you were to say modify someone elses code, and all you did was added a check for a dll file or something, and if it doesn't exist run as normal, otherwise let the dll take control, would the dll now become a program of its own? Or would it also be covered by the licence of the original program? Would the dll have to be open source?
Thanks
Re: GPL
NoFix:
and also, what does it matter to you why it matters to him..? hehe
simple enough??Phantom wrote:as i'm writing a program and need a bit more info.
and also, what does it matter to you why it matters to him..? hehe
Well you may not, but I'm sure there are other software developers out there that would be willing to help me out. I did after all post this in the developers help section.
I don't really care if you think this post is pointless. If just 1 person that knows the answer sees it and replies, then thats good for me and any other developers that might have never thought about this, and are interested.
I don't really care if you think this post is pointless. If just 1 person that knows the answer sees it and replies, then thats good for me and any other developers that might have never thought about this, and are interested.
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- DC++ Contributor
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- Joined: 2003-01-07 21:46
- Location: .pa.us
Phantom, take this with a grain of salt, but go look at some archived Slashdot stories about "GPL Violations." Most of the advice there will be wrong, but if you read all of it, especially those at a lower comment threshold, you'll understand some of the issues. Especially since there have been some linux kernel drivers that are proprietary, and some companies have gone through a pretty big song and dance to get around having to release source to their drivers.
Now, if this were under the LGPL, the answer would probably be a simple: no.
Now, if this were under the LGPL, the answer would probably be a simple: no.
Re: GPL
Go here:Phantom wrote:With the GPL, if you were to say modify someone elses code, and all you did was added a check for a dll file or something, and if it doesn't exist run as normal, otherwise let the dll take control, would the dll now become a program of its own? Or would it also be covered by the licence of the original program? Would the dll have to be open source?
http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/editorial ... _link.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/license-dis ... 01660.html
http://lwn.net/2001/0628/a/esr-modules.php3
etc etc, basically just do "dynamic linking gpl" in the google searchbox. sigh.
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- DC++ Contributor
- Posts: 3212
- Joined: 2003-01-07 21:46
- Location: .pa.us
That seems to be my conclusion as well (thanks Sandos). It's Arne's place as the copyright holder to enforce license violations, so if he says that he won't sue you if it turns out to be illegal, then you can be somewhat more at ease.Phantom wrote:So basically they all say that there is no clear definition, and that it would be a matter of a court decision. *sigh*
Its not with regard to dc++ anyway, its just I'm just thinking so that when I make some software and someone (hypothetically of course) wants to write a dll to override the basic functionality, I know where I stand if I used the GPL. Are there any other licences out there that do have this sort of cover?