Re: GPL question

[Mike Cox]

On Oct 11, 10:57 pm, "Alfred M. Szmidt" <a...@gnu.org> wrote:
>    > > (1) Can I dynamically link my application with free libraries
>    > > already present on the target system, even if they're GPL'ed?
>    > > (specifically, libbfd, part of binutils, I believe; and gdbm)
>    >
>    > Not without first consulting a good copyright lawyer experienced in Free
>    > Software law.  The FSF says that what you propose to do would infringe
>    > their copyrights.  Perhaps you could be a teat case.
>
>    I am mighty confused now. Are you saying that what I'm planning to
>    do is not possible?
>
> Correct, you cannot link non-free software with a GPL library.
>
>    If not, why?
>
> The end result contains code from a GPL program, and the GPL states
> that the whole work has to be licensed under the same terms.

I am still confused. Does mere linking make the result realy
*contain*
code from a GPL program?

For example, if you go to
<http://www.q-software-solutions.de/products/lcc-win32/index.shtml> ,
download and install lccwin32.exe and look in its "lib" folder, there
is a gdbmdll.dll library, yet the package neither is GPL nor are the
sources publically available.

Now go to
<http://www.q-software-solutions.de/products/lcc-linux32/index.shtml>
and click through and download lccdist.tar.gz. In the "bin" folder
there is a "lcc" program that requires libbfd-2.11.92.0.12.so, the
same folder contains a binary libbfd-2.11.92.0.12.so, yet the package
neither is GPL nor are the sources publically available.

How come they are allowed to do that but I am not?


> From the GNU GPL FAQ:

Where can I find this GNU GPL FAQ? Is it normative? Legaly binding?

> | I'd like to incorporate GPL-covered software in my proprietary
> | system. Can I do this?

Again, is mere dynamic linking the same as "incorporating GPL-covered
software"?

--
Mike Cox (the_real_mike_cox)
mikecox_linux@yahoo.com