On 12/05/2011 04:55 PM, Jayashankar K B wrote:
Hi John,
Thanks for your swift reply.!
>" the only caveat is if you've linked in any GPL code, such as readline, that can taint your whole project and require you to distribute source code according to the GPL terms."
Does that mean, we have to distribute whole source code including our proprietary software source?
If you want to know more about the GPL, please use the resources already out there. This mailing list is for PostgreSQL, which is BSD-like licensed, and REALLY isn't the best place to come to for advice on the GPL. I've added some links down the bottom.
PostgreSQL is BSD-licensed; you can do what you want with it within a very few limitations as set out in the license. Some optional components PostgreSQL can use, like readline, are GPL. Readline is only used for `psql' and is optional; you can simply compile PostgreSQL with it disabled and not distribute it if you're concerned about the GPL.
http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2008/compliance-guide.htmlhttp://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.htmlhttp://gpl-violations.org/faq/violation-faq.htmlhttp://gpl-violations.org/faq/sourcecode-faq.html (Also, despite the ranting you may sometimes encounter, in practice if you *do* unintentionally violate the license all you'll generally be asked to do by the copyright holder is end your violation by stopping using the code you're violating the license of or coming into compliance with the license. That's a big problem if you're relying directly on that code, but pretty minor if it's a small optional library used by something you link to and you didn't realise you were using it. Look into the history of GPL enforcement, into Linksys, etc and get a better understanding of how it all works. Opinions do vary, and mine's just one uninformed opinion; if you want a good one go ask the SFLC.).
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Craig Ringer