From: Sean O'Dell <sean@...>
Date: 2003-07-10T05:14:18+09:00
Subject: Re: My brief and torrid affair with Ruby.

From what I've read regarding the GPL and libraries:

If your program links to a GPL library or application using anything more
than the most generic of mechanisms (such as a stdio pipe), your program
must also be GPL.

An exception to this is if the library in question is distributed as part of
a normal operating system or development environment (language
interpreter/compiler or IDE).

    Sean O'Dell

"Daniel Carrera" <dcarrera@math.umd.edu> wrote in message
news:20030709000836.GA1601@math.umd.edu...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> On Wed, Jul 09, 2003 at 08:57:58AM +0900, Ray Cote wrote:
>
> > Specifically, I just happened to look at the source code in DBI.rb
> > and Oracle.rb and was astonished to discover that these modules are
> > GPL. Then I quickly found trace.rb, and proxy.rb were GPL as well.
>
> Well... since you are not linking or modifying the source code of these
files I
> would suppose that the GPL doesn't affect you at all.  You are still able
to make
> your own propietary program and use these external files.
>
> Or am I wrong?  I'm not sure if using a Ruby module constitutes a
"derivative
> work".
>
> Secondly, even if it *is* a derivative work, you can still make propietary
> programs for your own company (but not for your clients).  The GPL only
refers to
> the *distribution* of software.  You always have to right to make secret
> modifications, as long as you keep all that to yourself.
>
> Finally, who does making your program open source inhibit you from making
it
> commercial?  I mean, if you are currently using Perl and Python you are
certainly
> not hiding the source code.  You can't!  What's the problem with selling a
> GPL-covered application?
>
> > It is a great language and I'm going to have some fun using it.
> > I hope I can contribute some things to the community as well.
> > I'm just not going to be able to use it commercially for any of my
products.
>
> I can assure you that you can use it at least for your internal products.
As for
> clients, like I said, it'll depend on whether (a) your application is
really
> considered a derivative work, and (b) you really cannot sell a GPL to your
> clients.
>
> You should also consider contacting the module owners.  They might grant
you a
> special license.  But I honestly don't see what this would get you since
you can't
> hide Ruby code anyways.
>
> Cheers,
> - --
> Daniel Carrera         | OpenPGP fingerprint:
> Graduate TA, Math Dept | 6643 8C8B 3522 66CB D16C D779 2FDD 7DAC 9AF7 7A88
> UMD  (301) 405-5137    | http://www.math.umd.edu/~dcarrera/pgp.html
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.2.2 (SunOS)
>
> iD8DBQE/C10DnxE8DWHf+OcRAsEGAKDAhmewOPOrGUJFsarwczqq2F5FGACg4SKM
> T76dHUVfHJSSOBdOv6RPYDY=
> =B3O0
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
>