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

[David Kastrup]

Ben <na@na.com> writes:

> 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 nonsense.  The GPL is not infectuous and does not change the
licenses of anything it comes in contact with.  It says that you have
to license derived code under the GPL or not distribute at all.  That
does not mean that if you distribute derived code not under the GPL
that this makes the code come under the GPL.  It means that you are in
breach of the GPL.

If you are the author of the GPLed code yourself, nobody can sue you
for that.  If you break the license of the other code, others can sue
you for it.  If you don't intend to sue anybody for linking with the
other code, then you should explicitly state that you allow such
linking with your library.  That will mean that your code can't
becombined with GPLed code from other parties without such an
exception.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum