[sword-devel] Sword license

Fri, 17 Jan 2003 14:09:03 +1000

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At 17:37 16-01-03 -0600, Jimmie Houchin wrote:
>I have a question about the Sword license.
>
> From what I see the source code is GPL. In many instances I have no problem with the GPL. In general I have no problem with Sword being GPL.
>
>If I read the Sword/JSword source code and from that design/information write (port would be accurate?) classes, methods, etc. in Squeak to process Sword Modules would I be obligated to also use the GPL?
>
>The reason I ask is because of the viral nature of the GPL. GPL is not appropriate for any non-GPLed Smalltalk. Smalltalk source is in an image. All of it is linked by GPL definition. Any use of GPL code in a Smalltalk image compels the entire image to be GPLed. This is not possible.
...

The advantage of the GPL is that it prevents someone from taking your free software and using it as part of non-free software, and provides an economic incentive for even major corporations and governments to embrace free software. I would say that the GPL is probably a major reason for the success of Linux. Your point is well-taken, however, that the Gnu Public License prevents many people from using code so licensed. That is why I rarely publish code as GPL. Sometimes I use the Gnu Lesser Public License (formerly called the Gnu Library Public License), and for some things, I just release the code as Public Domain. LGPL code is usable in a GPL project, and it is also usable in a non-free project.

Rev. Michael Paul Johnson
Servant of Jesus Christ
mpj@eBible.org
http://eBible.org/mpj/

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At 17:37 16-01-03 -0600, Jimmie Houchin wrote: 
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I have a question about the Sword
license. 
 From what I see the source code is GPL. In many instances I have no
problem with the GPL. In general I have no problem with Sword being
GPL. 
If I read the Sword/JSword source code and from that design/information
write (port would be accurate?) classes, methods, etc. in Squeak to
process Sword Modules would I be obligated to also use the GPL? 
The reason I ask is because of the viral nature of the GPL. GPL is not
appropriate for any non-GPLed Smalltalk. Smalltalk source is in an image.
All of it is linked by GPL definition. Any use of GPL code in a Smalltalk
image compels the entire image to be GPLed. This is not
possible.</blockquote>... 
The advantage of the GPL is that it prevents someone from
taking your free software and using it as part of non-free software, and
provides an economic incentive for even major corporations and
governments to embrace free software. I would say that the GPL is
probably a major reason for the success of Linux. Your point is
well-taken, however, that the Gnu Public License prevents many people
from using code so licensed. That is why I rarely publish code as GPL.
Sometimes I use the Gnu Lesser Public License (formerly called the Gnu
Library Public License), and for some things, I just release the code as
Public Domain. LGPL code is usable in a GPL project, and it is also
usable in a non-free project. 
 
<x-sigsep></x-sigsep>
Rev. Michael Paul Johnson 
Servant of Jesus Christ 
mpj@eBible.org 
<a href="http://ebible.org/mpj/" eudora="autourl">http://eBible.org/mpj/ 
</a></html>

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