[sword-devel] New Windows SWORD GUI

[Chris Little]

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003, Simon Lagendijk wrote:

> Hi Chris,
> 
> >The GPL doesn't cover just distribution rights, it also covers usage.  
> >USING Sword in an unauthorized manner, according to the license (by 
> >linking to it, either at compile time or run time) would violate the 
> >license.
> >  
> >
> 
> Some questions about this:
> * Is it possible to release parts of the code that are independant from 
> GPL code, but are in a program that makes use of GPL code, under LGPL? 
> The reason I ask is because I want to release some parts of the bible 
> tool I'm working on as LGPL (mainly the code to read/search OSIS and 
> ThML files, which is code that is totally independant from the Sword 
> Engine).

Yes, absolutely.  For example, suppose you use library A, that is licensed 
under the GPL (such as Sword).  And you either use or write library B, 
licensed under the LGPL (or BSD, etc.).  Then you can use both A and B in 
program C, but it must be licensed under the GPL (because of library 
A's licensing).  In no way does use in program C require that you change 
the license of library B, unless its license is incompatible with the GPL.  
See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html for licenses that are 
compatible with the GPL.

Sword, for example, makes use of the ICU library, which is covered by the 
BSD license.

> * Does the author of some code has the right to use the same 
> (self-written) code in both a GPL and a commercial project?

Yes, certainly.  Provided you own the copyright on a piece of code, you 
may license it however you like, in as many different ways as you like, 
for free or for profit.

--Chris