[Help-smalltalk] Re: license issue(s)

[Krishna]

On 11/20/06, Paolo Bonzini <address@hidden> wrote:

> I have reached consensus with Richard Stallman that:
>
> 1) any C code for the library bindings must be released under the GPL.
> Of course this only matters when the library needs some special glue
> code to be used with GNU Smalltalk, as in the GTK+ case.
>
> 2) on the other hand, one can add this wording to the bindings'
> licensing terms to avoid violating the GPL or hitting grey areas:
>
>     Linking XYZ statically or dynamically with other modules is
>     making a combined work based on XYZ.  Thus, the terms and
>     conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole
>     combination.
>
>     In addition, as a special exception, the Free Software Foundation
>     give you permission to combine XYZ with free software
>     programs or libraries that are released under the GNU LGPL and with
>     independent programs running under the GNU Smalltalk virtual machine.
>
>     You may copy and distribute such a system following the terms of the
>     GNU GPL for XYZ and the licenses of the other code
>     concerned, provided that you include the source code of that other
>     code when and as the GNU GPL requires distribution of source code.
>
>     Note that people who make modified versions of XYZ are not
>     obligated to grant this special exception for their modified
>     versions; it is their choice whether to do so.  The GNU General
>     Public License gives permission to release a modified version without
>     this exception; this exception also makes it possible to release a
>     modified version which carries forward this exception.
>
> 3) the good news is, rms agreed to put the exception on the bindings
> provided with GNU Smalltalk.  Since some of these bindings may live
> within the virtual machine, the above exception will be placed in the
> virtual machine too.
>
> Version 2.3 of GNU Smalltalk will include the exception.
>
> Paolo

Paolo, thanks for the clarification and for getting the exception
clause. As I understand it, any code using vmProxy should be GPLed.
What if I want to use GNU Smalltalk as an extension language for my
(non GPLed) app? Is it enough to provide just the source for the glue
code ?

Cheers,
Krishna
--
I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty
to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble !
- Helen Keller