On Thursday, December 12, 2002, at 04:16 , Jeremy Bond Shepherd wrote:
> If you don't mind, could you give a simple explanation of why use of
> GPL-licensed libraries would be an "infection"? Is there something
> unduly
> restrictive (or permissive) about the license?
A short explanation: if an essential part of your program is implemented
using code under the GPL, then also your program has to be under the
GPL. Of course it is very difficult what "essential" and "implemented"
in each case means...
I myself am pretty sure though that "reverse engineering" GPLed code is
allowed since Richard Stallman bashes software patents and intellectual
property ideas pretty heavily, and they are the only means to prevent
reverse engineering and using the knowledge gained from that.
So for John to take a look at GPLed code and get ideas from there is
very likely no problem (it wouldn't even be reverse engineering),
copy-and-paste or direct calling however is.
If in doubt, I'm sure the FSF has some people who could answer these
questions if they haven't been answered already.
Eckhart
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