Re: use of Python bindings to GPL library from within non-GPL Python toolkit

["Anthony W. Youngman" <debian@thewolery.demon.co.uk>]

In message <[🔎] 20080924221018.GF7604@washoe.rutgers.edu>, Yaroslav 
Halchenko <debian@onerussian.com> writes
> Thank you Anthony for a detailed explanation, but I am still lacking a
> clear view here since you are talking about mixing-in GPL code within
> non-GPLed project, and in our case it is not quite the case:
>
> ATM all code in our project is non-GPLed, including some code which
> makes use of external GPL library through python bindings. So,
> technically speaking we are not mixing the code, and we do not
> redistribute GPL code within our project (that dependency on GPLed
> library is optional). But if I get it right -- it doesn't really matter,
> since GPL doesn't allow external non-GPLed software to use GPLed library
> (for such scenarios there is LGPL), am I right?
If it's external non-GPL, you can't change its licence. So *YOU* *CAN* 
mix it with both GPL and your own software.

But you CAN'T then DISTRIBUTE the result. The GPL says you must 
distribute the non-GPL code as if it were GPL, but you don't own that 
code and can't change the licence. So you can't comply with both 
licences at the same time, so you can't distribute.

Cheers,
Wol
--
Anthony W. Youngman - anthony@thewolery.demon.co.uk