From: Austin Ziegler <austin@...>
Date: 2004-04-27T21:15:35+09:00
Subject: Re: Distributing Ruby DLL

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 14:57:41 +0900, James, Roshan (Cognizant) wrote:
> My understaning of GPL says that GPL code can be freely used anywhere as
> long as there is not source level linkage - if you have only some binary
> interaction with GPLed code, then the licencsing of the GPL code cannot
> affect the rest of you source code. So if it is a DLL, then I think it
> should be fine.
>
> The only thing that can then get in your way is the actual licensing of
> binaries in the ruby dist. I belive the ruby license itself is more
> liberal that the GPL, so you are free to do as you please.
>
> Everything above maybe wrong, please read through the license docs
> yourself, every license that is valid in this context has to be avilable
> in the ruby distribution itself, so you wont have to look very far.

Your understanding is essentially correct, with a couple of important 
caveats:

1. The FSF does not agree.
2. US case law appears to mostly agree, but it is not entirely settled.
3. Other jurisdictions may deal with this differently.

-austin
--
austin ziegler    * austin@halostatue.ca * Toronto, ON, Canada
software designer * pragmatic programmer * 2004.04.27
                                         * 08.12.17