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Re: GPL question


From: Alfred M. Szmidt
Subject: Re: GPL question
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 23:58:26 +0200 (CEST)

   Thanks to all for your comments. I am using others' GPL code in my
   project since my intention is to release it also under GPL. Its
   just that I also want to have control over the parts that I own the
   copyright for (the first that comes to mind is being able to
   license it in another license). It seems I do have the right to do
   what I want for the part that I own at least.

As long as those parts are not deriviate of other parts, yes.

   This also comes down to another point I am not clear about: if I am
   using the interface of a GPL'ed library implementation, do I own
   the copyright for the parts where I used this interface? For
   instance if I use functions from a C library that is under GPL?  I
   don't own the library implementation, but what about any instance
   of symbols I use in my code?

The resulting work consitutes a derivative work, so your work has to
be licensed under compatible terms as the GPL library.  The GPL FAQ
has answers for common questions like these,
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

   For example if I am not wrong, ReiserFS can be licensed under
   non-GPL licenses if its author wants to do so, and yet it is
   tightly coupled with the linux kernel, using many functions from it
   (linked lists, spinlocks etc.).  Perhaps this is possible?

Sinec ReiserFS is a Linux module, and is clearly a deriviate work of
Linux, it cannot be licensed under terms not compatible with the GPL.




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