Issue 1222

Summary:	LGPL vs GPL
Product:	Infrastructure	Reporter:	Unknown <non-migrated>
Component:	Website general issues	Assignee:	lsuarezpotts
Status:	CLOSED FIXED	QA Contact:	issues@www <issues>
Severity:	Trivial
Priority:	P3	CC:	issues
Version:	current
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	All
URL:	http://http://
Issue Type:	ENHANCEMENT	Latest Confirmation in:	---
Developer Difficulty:	---

Description Unknown 2001-07-13 22:38:22 UTC

Louis,

Please add this new FAQ.  It will not be what everyone wants but it explains the
basic gist to someone who doesn't already know the difference.
Thanks,
Michelle

What is the essential difference between the GPL and the LGPL?

The GNU General Public License (GPL) (www.fsf.org/copyleft/gpl.html) and the GNU
Lesser General Public License (LGPL) (www.fsf.org/copyleft/lesser.html) were
written by the Free Software Foundation (www.fsf.org).

When code licensed under the GPL is combined or linked with any other code, that
code must also then be licensed under the GPL.  In effect, this license demands
that any code combined with GPL'd code falls under the GPL itself.

When code licensed under the LGPL is dynamically linked to any other code
(except for GPL'd code), that code may retain its license.  In effect, this
license creates a firewall between the LGPL'd code and the code to which it is
dynamically linked.

Comment 1 Unknown 2001-07-13 22:46:22 UTC

Crap, Please add at the bottom (at request of Bill Roth)

NOTE:  This answer is intended to give a general idea of the difference between
the two licenses.  It was not written by a lawyer and is not intended to be used
for legal purposes.

Life's a beach!
Michelle

Comment 2 lsuarezpotts 2001-07-13 23:00:40 UTC

accepted.
BTW, you handled the potential firestorm quite well! congrats!
louis

Comment 3 issues@www 2001-07-16 21:04:12 UTC

Hi Michelle, Louis,

Regarding this addition to the FAQ, I recommend that the word "firewall" not be 
used since it might imply mistaken connotations regarding the terms of the GNU 
Public licenses. 

I would recommend that the last sentence be rewritten, additionally since 
"firewall"ing itself is not really logical or correct.

Thanks
John Heard

Comment 4 Unknown 2001-07-16 21:53:00 UTC

Thanks John, Please see the correction below for "firewall" which has been
removed.

Thanks,
m

What is the essential difference between the GPL and the LGPL?

The GNU General Public License (GPL) (www.fsf.org/copyleft/gpl.html) and the GNU
Lesser General Public License (LGPL) (www.fsf.org/copyleft/lesser.html) were
written by the Free Software Foundation (www.fsf.org).

When code licensed under the GPL is combined or linked with any other code, that
code must also then be licensed under the GPL.  In effect, this license demands
that any code combined with GPL'd code falls under the GPL itself.

When code licensed under the LGPL is dynamically linked to any other code
(except for GPL'd code), that code may retain its license.  In effect, this
license recognizes a boundary between the LGPL'd code and the code to which it
is dynamically linked.

Comment 5 lsuarezpotts 2001-07-16 21:54:05 UTC

better. I was going to suggest distinction, but boundary is superior
louis

Comment 6 Unknown 2001-07-19 23:12:31 UTC

Here's the final FAQ straight from the mouth of the man himself!  Please post
this version:

When code licensed under the GPL is combined or linked with any other code, that
code must also then be licensed under the GPL.  In effect, this license demands
that any code combined with GPL'd code falls under the GPL itself.

Code licensed under the LGPL can be dynamically or statically linked to any
other code, regardless of its license, as long as users are allowed to run
debuggers on the combined program.  In effect, this license recognizes kind of a
boundary between the LGPL'd code and the code that is linked to it.

Thanks!
Michelle

Comment 7 lsuarezpotts 2001-07-19 23:14:27 UTC

wow, out of the mouth of wisdom or horse's functional rear end... all the same
louis
will do

Comment 8 lsuarezpotts 2001-07-20 02:03:56 UTC

done

Comment 9 michael.bemmer 2003-03-16 20:24:41 UTC

As agreed with Louis, we can close all the resolved fixed issues he owns.

Comment 10 michael.bemmer 2003-03-16 20:31:05 UTC

As agreed with Louis, we can close all the resolved fixed issues he owns.