Re: Re: peclweb /public_html package-new.php

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004, Andrey Hristov wrote: > Rasmus Lerdorf wrote: > > The distinction is that it is fine to write an extension that links > > against an LGPL'ed library whereas you may not write a extension that > > exclusively links against a GPL'ed library. Well, you may, of course, but > > we can't host it in PECL. As for the extension code itself, I don't see > > any reason to make that LGPL'ed. Pick a BSD'ish license to be consistent > > with all the other extensions. > > > > -Rasmus > Hi, > I thought that one is prohibited to write an extension that links to GPL code > since the extension should be GPLed too and through it the engine. I mean > I started to write an extension an year ago, then I realized that the license > of the library is GPL therefore I stopped since I understood it is illegal to > develop and distribute (through my site) this extension. Was I wrong or? The key word there is "distribute". There is nothing that violates the GPL when you simply write whatever you want using or linking against GPL'ed code. It is only when you distribute this work that the GPL kicks in. And technically you can write a GPL'ed extension and distribute it along with a GPL'ed PHP from your own site. There is nothing in PHP's license that prevents you from redistributing PHP under the GPL as long as you at the same time follow the terms of the PHP license which would include the fact that you can't call your version "PHP". The PHP license is not incompatible with the GPL in this respect. -Rasmus