copyright issue
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I'm not sure, where to ask the following question, so I try here first. If it's out of place, let me know where else I should ask. I'm planning to write an article for Code Project and my code uses a library that is published under the GNU General Public License. I'm quite sure that I'm allowed to use this library and to distribute it with my code. But I have some problems to determine where and how I must note that I use this GPL library :confused: Do I have to include such a notice in every code file of my project or only these, which actually use the library? Please guide me, cause I'm really bad in understanding such "law texts", even in my native language. Thanks in advance
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I'm not sure, where to ask the following question, so I try here first. If it's out of place, let me know where else I should ask. I'm planning to write an article for Code Project and my code uses a library that is published under the GNU General Public License. I'm quite sure that I'm allowed to use this library and to distribute it with my code. But I have some problems to determine where and how I must note that I use this GPL library :confused: Do I have to include such a notice in every code file of my project or only these, which actually use the library? Please guide me, cause I'm really bad in understanding such "law texts", even in my native language. Thanks in advance
You have to put a notice text file into the .zip archive. In addition to your code, the .zip must contain - the GPL, or an URL of the full text. - the source of the library, or an URL. That's how I understood the GPL, but of course I may be wrong, or the GPL may have changed. :~ _________________________________ Vote '1' if you're too lazy for a discussion
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I'm not sure, where to ask the following question, so I try here first. If it's out of place, let me know where else I should ask. I'm planning to write an article for Code Project and my code uses a library that is published under the GNU General Public License. I'm quite sure that I'm allowed to use this library and to distribute it with my code. But I have some problems to determine where and how I must note that I use this GPL library :confused: Do I have to include such a notice in every code file of my project or only these, which actually use the library? Please guide me, cause I'm really bad in understanding such "law texts", even in my native language. Thanks in advance
okay, let's first clarify the issue... is this code you're using under the GNU GPL or the GNU *Lesser* GPL? this makes a bit of an impact on the code you want to release. if the code is under the GPL, your code has to be under the GPL, in which case, iirc, you have to include the license in the zip file with your code, and you need to put the little disclaimer license thing at the top of every file in your code. however, if the code you're using is under the LGPL, then you need to include the LGPL in the zip file with your code, but your code does not need to be under the LGPL (or the GPL for that matter). in fact, you can release that code as a closed source commercial app, because the LGPL does not extend over your code. that's it in a wrap, but if you want more detail, feel free to e-mail me. -- Raoul Snyman Saturn Laboratories e-mail: raoul.snyman@saturnlaboratories.co.za web: http://www.saturnlaboratories.co.za/ blog: http://blog.saturnlaboratories.co.za/ linux user: #333298
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okay, let's first clarify the issue... is this code you're using under the GNU GPL or the GNU *Lesser* GPL? this makes a bit of an impact on the code you want to release. if the code is under the GPL, your code has to be under the GPL, in which case, iirc, you have to include the license in the zip file with your code, and you need to put the little disclaimer license thing at the top of every file in your code. however, if the code you're using is under the LGPL, then you need to include the LGPL in the zip file with your code, but your code does not need to be under the LGPL (or the GPL for that matter). in fact, you can release that code as a closed source commercial app, because the LGPL does not extend over your code. that's it in a wrap, but if you want more detail, feel free to e-mail me. -- Raoul Snyman Saturn Laboratories e-mail: raoul.snyman@saturnlaboratories.co.za web: http://www.saturnlaboratories.co.za/ blog: http://blog.saturnlaboratories.co.za/ linux user: #333298
raouls wrote: in fact, you can release that code as a closed source commercial app, because the LGPL does not extend over your code. Well I've had this discussion last week but I have to make some reservations wrt this interpretation of the LGPL. Actually, it depends on the definition of 'closed source commercial app'. I argue that a lot of closed sourced commercial apps will want to have anti-reverse engineering clauses in their licenses, which is not allowed when using a library that is released under the LGPL. And this is for libraries that are linked dynamically (dll's), for statically linked libraries you will have to provide object files with your commercial app (plus allow reverse engineering of those object files). cheers, roel
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okay, let's first clarify the issue... is this code you're using under the GNU GPL or the GNU *Lesser* GPL? this makes a bit of an impact on the code you want to release. if the code is under the GPL, your code has to be under the GPL, in which case, iirc, you have to include the license in the zip file with your code, and you need to put the little disclaimer license thing at the top of every file in your code. however, if the code you're using is under the LGPL, then you need to include the LGPL in the zip file with your code, but your code does not need to be under the LGPL (or the GPL for that matter). in fact, you can release that code as a closed source commercial app, because the LGPL does not extend over your code. that's it in a wrap, but if you want more detail, feel free to e-mail me. -- Raoul Snyman Saturn Laboratories e-mail: raoul.snyman@saturnlaboratories.co.za web: http://www.saturnlaboratories.co.za/ blog: http://blog.saturnlaboratories.co.za/ linux user: #333298
Thanks for your explanations. The library I use in my code is published under the GNU GPL and I simply use the provided functionality without any modification. I understand that I have to put my code under the GPL too and think I can manage that as the GPL contains this nice section "How to Apply These Terms to Your New Programs". :) One thing is still a bit unclear to me. How do I have to include the used library; is it sufficient to include the compiled DLL or do I have to distribute the library source code too? I think it's the latter one, but I'm not sure if I understood the GPL right.? If I have to include everything, I guess it will be sufficient to include the zip file that is offered by the copyright holder of the library and contains Windows Source and Binaries.?
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I'm not sure, where to ask the following question, so I try here first. If it's out of place, let me know where else I should ask. I'm planning to write an article for Code Project and my code uses a library that is published under the GNU General Public License. I'm quite sure that I'm allowed to use this library and to distribute it with my code. But I have some problems to determine where and how I must note that I use this GPL library :confused: Do I have to include such a notice in every code file of my project or only these, which actually use the library? Please guide me, cause I'm really bad in understanding such "law texts", even in my native language. Thanks in advance
You need to include a copy of the licence when distributing the source code. (ianal) And we are happy if you add a licence notice to your article - It's a pain to find n article claiming to be "free", and ffinding out it's (L)GPL'd after digging deeper into it. Waiting for your article :)
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