SOT: License issues ....

[Paolo Alexis Falcone]

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 12:24:51 +0200, Thomas Weholt wrote:

> I got a small project going in which I plan to use at least two other
> libraries with different license policies than the one I've chosen for mine,
> the one used for Python. One is BSD-based and the other is a similar
> open-source variant. In addition to those non-pythonic libraries I will be
> using lots of other python libraries from various sources and authors, many
> of which have different license policy than Python itself allthough they're
> open-source as well.
> 
> How do one mix libraries with different variants of open-source licenses in
> one project? What should I avoid using - if any?
> 
> Best regards,
> Thomas

A careful reading of all licenses that you'd use would reveal if these
licenses are compatible with each other for distribution.

Basically here's the deal - most open-source licenses allow you to freely
modify, copy, execute and distribute your changes or software. Most of
them differ in some aspects (like some licenses don't allow use of a
certain library if it would be used for proprietary commercial usage; the
GPL has its own terms of usage, as well as others)

Example of something that would work - a GPL'd program using
some BSD-licensed code -> as the BSD license allows for the free usage of
code even it would be included in an open-source or proprietary
application. Another example -> using a proprietary app which would link
dynamically to an LGPL'd library -> as the license particularly allows
such.
-- 


Paolo Alexis Falcone
pfalcone at free.net.ph