From: Aredridel <aredridel@...>
Date: 2004-07-29T04:59:23+09:00
Subject: Re: a question on diff modules

On Thu, Jul 29, 2004 at 01:26:54AM +0900, Carl Youngblood wrote:
> Okay, I know this has probably been rehashed hundreds of times, but I
> was under the impression that merely using a piece of GPL source in my
> code didn't affect the rest of my code.  Is this wrong?  Even if I
> don't modify the code at all?  If I modify it, isn't it true that all
> I have to do is publish the source for my modifications in the event I
> release the software to the public?

That's the Lesser GPL. The GPL is more infectious: You have to have a
compatible license to use GPL'ed code in your own product -- be it a
BSD License or Ruby's, you have to at least make your own code equally
or less restricted than the GPL.

There's weird caveats regarding linking, especially with languages as
dynamic and fluid as Ruby, but that's pretty much the reality.