On Thursday, April 25, 2002, at 03:49 AM, Sam Clegg wrote:
On Thu, Apr 25, 2002 at 12:14:20PM +0200, Steve Lhomme wrote:
Also I think there is this big question wether a GPL DShow filter is considered as a program or as a library. In the second case that means you should be able to use it from other projects than GPL (or GPL compatible). For example Windows Media Player is not allowed. But AFAIK you can't deny this access to different programs while the Filter is installed on the computer...
Doesn't make the DShow filter involve linking libmad with core MS libraries? Isn't this illegal under the terms of the GPL? IIRC this is what LGPL is for and mad is not LGPL is it?
First of all, Tripp is correct. The GPL does not restrict use, which includes linking with proprietary libraries or programs. From the GPL itself: "Activities other than copying, distribution and modification are not covered by this License; they are outside its scope. The act of running the Program is not restricted[.]"
Under the GPL, distribution is restricted such that everything being distributed must be licensed under the GPL, and must include the complete source code or an offer to receive the source upon request. As long as proprietary libraries do not need to be distributed together with the GPL work, there is no conflict.
The GPL also makes this explicit: "[A]s a special exception, the source code distributed need not include anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component itself accompanies the executable." I would argue that any libraries normally distributed with Microsoft Windows would fall under this exception.
-- Rob Leslie rob@mars.org