[sword-devel] Information for beginning Windows BCB 6 Developers

Chris Little chrislit at crosswire.org
Tue Apr 19 19:28:11 MST 2005


Lynn is entirely correct. GPL specifically allows for system libraries. 
MFC is a system library, therefore allowed.

This is a non-issue.

--Chris


Lynn Allan wrote:
>>(standard IANAL disclaimer)
>>
>>MFC is probably not an option.  The Visual Studio .NET 2003 license
> 
> names MFC
> 
>>as a "Redistributable", and then says,
> 
> 
> Also IANAL ... [note: I've asked questions to licensing at gnu.org and
> gotten answers in layman's English ... perhaps we should ask
> specifically about MFC4x.dll]
> 
> But there are several GPL FAQ's related to libraries that come with
> the compiler:
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WindowsRuntimeAndGPL
> 
> I'm writing a Windows application with Microsoft Visual C++ (or Visual
> Basic) and I will be releasing it under the GPL. Is dynamically
> linking my program with the Visual C++ (or Visual Basic) run-time
> library permitted under the GPL?
> Yes, because that run-time library normally accompanies the compiler
> or interpreter you are using.
> 
> [[This isn't all that clear ... is MFC42.dll considered "run time
> library". My impression is "yes" ... which would allow using MFC ]]
> 
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLIncompatibleLibs
> What legal issues come up if I use GPL-incompatible libraries with GPL
> software?
> If the libraries that you link with fall within the following
> exception in the GPL:
>   However, as a special exception, the source code distributed need
> not include anything that is normally distributed (in either source or
> binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on)
> of the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that
> component itself accompanies the executable.
> 
> then you don't have to do anything special to use them; the
> requirement to distribute source code for the whole program does not
> include those libraries, even if you distribute a linked executable
> containing them. Thus, if the libraries you need come with major parts
> of a proprietary operating system, the GPL says people can link your
> program with them without any conditions.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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