Request - Amend GPLv2+ license - Exemption link clause - for KDE weather engine/ions (weather related only) for BlackBerry 10/QNX

[Shawn Starr]

On Thursday, January 17, 2013 11:46:49 PM Matthew Dawson wrote:
> On January 17, 2013 09:51:45 PM Shawn Starr wrote:
> > On Thursday, January 17, 2013 09:47:27 PM Matthew Dawson wrote:
> > > On January 17, 2013 08:06:05 PM Shawn Starr wrote:
> > > > Hello folks,
> > > > 
> > > > I need to get approvals from those who made some changes to the engine
> > > > code, the change is to append the exemption clause to GPLv2+ so that I
> > > > can link the binaries to QNX's libc / and RIM's cascades libs, as
> > > > these
> > > > are considered core to the OS.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> > > Sorry if I don't understand what you are asking for, but to link GPL
> > > software against system libraries doesn't require exceptions (see
> > > http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#SystemLibraryException
> > > 
> > >  ).  If you are linking other applications against the engine code, then
> > >  the
> > > 
> > > exceptions is required.
> > 
> > The libraries being linked into are not GPL however thats the need for the
> > exemption clause. QNX's libc and RIM's cascades are not GPL/LGPL
> > libraries.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Shawn.
> 
> I understood that.  However, as the GPL faq states, GPL programs can link to
> system libraries that are closed source.  libc (assuming that is the C
> library) is definitly a system library, and I assume cascades is one too
> (it's stated in the GPL what the definition is).  This is why you don't
> need an exception for GPL software on Windows.
> 
> The exceptions you talk about are for applications (a third party) linking
> against libraries (being the weather data engines), thus creating a LGPL
> like license.  The wikipedia article you linked to describes this in
> detail.
> 
> Now, if you are looking for the code to be LGPL like, then I'd think it be
> easiest to re-license the code to the LGPL.  If you simply need to link to
> system libraries, then no exception/re-licensing is necessary.
> 
> Matthew
> 

Hi Matthew,

That is a good point and makes this all moot now. I totally forgot about 
Windows core DLLs that GPL code links to.

Thanks for reminding me of this.

Shawn.

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