Re: GPL licenced Java application using non GPL jars (libraries)

[Ben]

Does this additional exception clause violate the GPL in any way? How 
can it be compatible with the GPL if the clause states that they can 
link some non-GPL jars, yet the GPL states all the linked in libraries 
(distributed as a whole) must be GPL?

Its getting confusing... and I think some of this problem is down to my 
misunderstanding but I think I'm almost there. If we can nail this issue 
down its very likely I'll use GNU GPL 2 with an exception clause.

Thanks,

Benjamin

Rui Miguel Silva Seabra wrote:
> Seg, 2006-05-22 às 20:55 +0100, Ben escreveu:
> > The risk lies in that the GPL may be make GPL the libraries my code uses 
> > - that are under different licences.
> > This would mean that any recipient of my GPL code could also assume 
> > those associated libraries are GPL (when clearly they may not be)
> >
> > This is what concerns me, unless you can prove otherwise.
> >
> > For what its worth I'm also now looking at using the CPL instead.
>
> That's a not very safe way of doing it.
>
> I strongly suggest you use the GNU GPL with an additional exception
> clause, for instance:
>
>         This program is licensend under the GNU GPL (bla bla...) and
>         I also allow you to link my program with library X, licensed
>         under the Apache Software License 2.0.
>
> See? Easy, no? And the GNU GPL is better understood and will allow you
> to link your software with other GPL'ed software (+- 80% of Free
> Software, if you add to it the Lesser GPL'ed software), whilst with CPL
> you will not be able to license your program at all with the ASL 2.0,
> but _ALSO_ you will exclude your program from sharing code with +-80% of
> Free Software.
>
> That's not very sane. Here's another text you can read on why it's good
> to have GNU GPL compatibility, by David Wheeler:
>
> http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/gpl-compatible.html
>
> Rui
>
> RUi