Re: PHP License Questions

more info: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#FSWithNFLibs Can I write free software that uses non-free libraries? "If you do this, your program won't be fully usable in a free environment. If your program depends on a non-free library to do a certain job, it cannot do that job in the Free World. If it depends on a non-free library to run at all, it cannot be part of a free operating system such as GNU; it is entirely off limits to the Free World. So please consider: can you find a way to get the job done without using this library? Can you write a free replacement for that library? If the program is already written using the non-free library, perhaps it is too late to change the decision. You may as well release the program as it stands, rather than not release it. But please mention in the README that the need for the non-free library is a drawback, and suggest the task of changing the program so that it does the same job without the non-free library. Please suggest that anyone who thinks of doing substantial further work on the program first free it from dependence on the non-free library. Note that there may also be legal issues with combining certain non-free libraries with GPL-covered Free Software. Please see the question on GPL software with GPL-incompatible libraries for more information." and more on What legal issues come up if I use GPL-incompatible libraries with GPL software? If the libraries that you link with fall within the following exception in the GPL: However, as a special exception, the source code distributed need not include anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the executable. my interpretation : legally you can but they don't recommend it.... Cheers David Costa On Oct 3, 2004, at 11:22 PM, David Costa wrote:

On Oct 3, 2004, at 11:14 PM, Andrew Lindeman wrote:

IANAL, but the simple answer you'll get is that if you want to include uncompatibly licensed code with your GPL software, simply write an exception to the GPL and include it with your code. A template (and explanation) is provided by the nice FSF people [1].

Well, I'm not really concerned about *including* the libs in the package. I'm more concerned about *using*. I could care less if users have to pear install Calendar first; I just want to be able to use the libraries. So I guess my question is more like: Can I use these libraries (not necessarily distribute them with my package)? Would I still need to make an exception in the license?

In my opinion you certainly can. I don't see how legally this shouldn't be possible. If that would be the case, many, many application should not use PEAR and I haven't seen the FSF enforcing anything on this direction. Can't you release under another licensing system ? If that is not the case, you should ask them.. unfortunately at times they might just see no argument and pretend that is all GPL. Regards David Costa -- PEAR Development Mailing List (http://pear.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php