Re: GPLed gettext.
On Mon, 25 Jan 1999, Santiago Vila wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Jan 1999, Jules Bean wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 25 Jan 1999, Santiago Vila wrote:
> >
> > > gettext had a security problem, Bug #28850, which has been fixed by
> > > Vincent Renardias in gettext_0.10.35-6.1 (NMU). (Thanks Vincent).
> > >
> > > However, the fix consisted in copying a set of files from libc,
> > > which is LGPLed, into gettext, which is GPLed.
> > >
> > > May be this really be done? (I think not).
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> >
> > [from the LGPL]
> >
> > 3. You may opt to apply the terms of the ordinary GNU General Public
> > License instead of this License to a given copy of the Library. To do
> > this, you must alter all the notices that refer to this License, so
> > that they refer to the ordinary GNU General Public License, version 2,
> > instead of to this License. (If a newer version than version 2 of the
> > ordinary GNU General Public License has appeared, then you can specify
> > that version instead if you wish.) Do not make any other change in
> > these notices.
>
> Ok, so the gettext version currently in Incoming (which still has many
> files saying "this is LGPLed") is illegal, right?
I don't know.
I haven't really read the LGPL in the detail that I've read the GPL.
I'm pretty sure the source package is absolutely fine. It's simply under
a mixture of licenses - some files LGPL'ed, some GPL'ed. That's not
uncommon.
The binary package is certainly more complex. However, I'm pretty sure
the GPL is not being violated (on gettext). I'm also pretty sure the LGPL
on the libc code is not being violated, by analogy - gettext *always*
links to libc. In this case, gettext is simply linking 'tighter' to some
pieces of libc than it normally does.
I don't see a problem, therefore. (And I don't think you need to invoke
the paragraph 3 I brought up before, in fact).
Jules
Who is not a lawyer.
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| Julian Bean | jmlb2@hermes.cam.ac.uk | TW9 2TF *UK* |
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