[ale] OT: GPL Question

[Jeffrey B. Layton]

Joseph A. Knapka wrote:

>Pete Hardie wrote:
>  
>
>>Jeffrey B. Layton wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>Hello,
>>>
>>>  I apologize for asking this question because it's a
>>>bit OT and it might stur up some arguments.
>>>However, this is probably the best forum I know to
>>>ask this question.
>>>  If I install a piece of software that is licensed under
>>>GPL, say a mathematical library, and write my own
>>>code that just calls functions within the library (I
>>>have not modified the library in any way and do not
>>>statically link the library), do I have to license my
>>>code under GPL? My initial gut feel is I can license
>>>my software any way I want, but this is brewing
>>>into a controversary at work and I want to get some
>>>input (and any links) before discussing this with the
>>>attorneys.
>>>      
>>>
>>This very topic has been on /. or Linux Today within the past 2 weeks.
>>Google for Asay and GPL to find links.
>>    
>>
>
>Found the Matt Asay article, here:
>
><URL: http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4528760742.html>
>
>You all may recall that a couple of months ago I posed
>the following hypothetical:
>
>  I've got a commercial, closed-source application server,
>  WhizBangAppServer, for which a dynamic-loading API for
>  plugins is defined. I write a plugin that honors that API
>  and works under WhizBangAppServer. I then load that
>  plugin into a GPL'd clone appserver that implements the
>  same plugin API. Is my plugin now encumbered by the GPL?
>
>Someone said, "No", and gave some good reasons. But the
>dialogue between Asay and Stallman in the article in
>question clearly indicates that Stallman *wants* my
>code to be encumbered - he thinks that dynamically
>linking to GPL'd code constitutes a derivative work,
>and even that *running as a process on a GPL'd OS
>constitutes a derivative work* !!! Further, he thinks
>that all Linux kernel modules should be subject to
>the GPL on the same grounds (even though Linus has
>disavowed that interpretation).
>
   I think I'm beginning to understand things a bit better. I'm
reading the Asay article. I'm also going to contact some attorney
friends and get their 2 cents on it (they are good honest attornies
which are extremely rare today).
   In the meantime, let me ask a related question. I really like
to use Nedit (www.nedit.org) as me editor. However, Nedit is
GPL. Does that mean that anything I produce, such as source
code, using Nedit is covered under GPL? Anyone?

Thanks!

Jeff




(snip)

>
>
>-- Joe
>  "I'd rather chew my leg off than maintain Java code, which
>   sucks, 'cause I have a lot of Java code to maintain and
>   the leg surgery is starting to get expensive." - Me
>
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>  
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