GPL (was: Re: Early XSLT's)

on Sun, Jun 17, 2001 at 09:12:03AM -0400, Philippe Le Hegaret wrote:
> For the record, here is the relevant part in the FAQ regarding the
> difference between the GPL and the W3C Software copyright license:
> 
> [[[
> 6.4 Is code released under the W3C license compatible with the GNU General
> Public License (GPL)?
> 
> Software which is free from any claims beyond W3C terms and
> conditions are compatible with the GPL and may be redistributed
> under the GPL. The GPL ensures users always have the ability to run,
> change, or redistribute software with or without changes; it also
> prevents such software from being bundled with closed/proprietary
> software such that users lose their rights to that free code in the
> new product. The W3C license allows the latter to happen, for W3C
> code to be used in proprietary software, but it can also be used
> with GPL software and redistributed under those terms.
> ]]]

Yes, but the understanding reflected in this FAQ is incorrect, as far
as I know. Nothing prevents GPL'd software from being "bundled" with
any other software, and such bundling does not affect the proprietary
software at all[1]. In the case where actual code is compiled and
linked into a proprietary software package, and is not licensed under
the more lenient Lesser General Public License (LGPL)[2], then that
proprietary software must release its own code as well. However, if a
library is under the LGPL, it may be compiled into software whose
source remains closed.

And in any case, I fail to see how a test suite of any kind would put
the fear of GNU into anyone writing proprietary software, as I am not
aware of any arguments to be made in favor of building the test cases
- and code to run them - directly into the proprietary software
packages in question.

Can Philippe shed some light on how a DOM test suite released under
the GPL could possibly cause any problems with proprietary software?
I'm sure I'm just being thick here and missing the obvious.

Thanks,
Steve

[1] http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
[2] http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html

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Received on Sunday, 17 June 2001 17:24:24 UTC