Re: Bug#189164: libdbd-mysql-perl uses GPL lib, may be used by GPL-incompatible apps

[Edmund GRIMLEY EVANS <edmundo@rano.org>]

Anthony DeRobertis <asd@suespammers.org>:

> If you think that is a creation of a derivative work (and thus violates
> the GPL), then I have a much bigger GPL violation for you to worry
> about. It's with an interpreter known as "bash".

Another example is the Linux kernel and GPL-incompatible programs that
use kernel services. This is mentioned in /usr/src/linux/COPYING:

   NOTE! This copyright does *not* cover user programs that use kernel
 services by normal system calls - this is merely considered normal use
 of the kernel, and does *not* fall under the heading of "derived work".

(What does it mean by "normal system calls"? I assume it means system
calls of an ordinary, released kernel, as opposed to ones that have
been added specially to support some GPL-incompatible program.
However, it could mean standard Unix system calls, as opposed to
functions that are specific to Linux.)

> [ Sorry for being so sarcastic in the last paragraph. But we really need
>   to decide when program A benefiting from features of program B creates
>   a derivative work, if ever. ]

It's a difficult problem.

Edmund