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Re: using GPL api to be used in a properietary software
From: |
Martin Dickopp |
Subject: |
Re: using GPL api to be used in a properietary software |
Date: |
Thu, 17 Mar 2005 13:02:36 +0100 |
User-agent: |
Gnus/5.1007 (Gnus v5.10.7) Emacs/21.3 (gnu/linux) |
Isaac <isaac@latveria.castledoom.org> writes:
> On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 17:39:11 +0100, Martin Dickopp
> <expires-2005-04-30@zero-based.org> wrote:
>> You can read about the position of the FSF here:
>>
>> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation
>>
>> In particular, if the separate GPL'ed executable has no purpose on its
>> own, but is created solely to circumvent the license of the library,
>> then it is *not* okay.
>
> The quoted link seems to suggest that using pipes as IPC and execing a
> GPLed binary is a satisfactory work around.
Not at all:
| By contrast, pipes, sockets and command-line arguments are
| communication mechanisms *normally* used between two separate
| programs.
(Emphasis mine.)
That suggests to me that the /mechanism/ of communication provides
some hints...
| But if the semantics of the communication are intimate enough,
| exchanging complex internal data structures, that too could be
| a basis to consider the two parts as combined into a larger
| program.
...but that the /semantics/ of communication is really decisive.
Martin