Re: GPL and other licences

[David Kastrup]

Alexander Terekhov <terekhov@web.de> writes:

> Fung wrote:
>> 
>> I am currently doing some research on open source licences and
>> while reading the GPL licence the following question arose:
>> Distributing a derivative work combined from software licensed
>> under [whatever]
>
> Combining software doesn't create a derivative work under copyright 
> law. If anything, it creates a compilation, not a derivative work.

Nonsense.  "compilation" in copyright law and "compilation" in
computing are completely different things.

> If you don't happen to live in the GNU Republic, linking of computer
> programs (and libraries are computer programs) isn't one of
> exclusive rights reserved to copyright owners

Quite so.  It will be "fair use" most of the time.  Redistribution of
the results, however, is nothing copyright law permits by default, so
you need to consult your license for the terms, if any, you need to
fulfill for redistribution of a combined work.

So the question of the poster can be resolved without listening to
your usual irresponsible hogwash: he can indeed combine a GPLed work
in private with whatever software he wants to, as long as he does not
redistribute the results.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum