Re: More GPL questions

[David Kastrup]

Merijn de Weerd <merijn+nospam@realemail.net> writes:

> The more correct terminology is that the OP can only distribute
> the resulting (i.e. linked) work as a whole under the GPL.
> If he cannot do that, "then as a consequence [the OP] may not 
> distribute the Program at all." No infection, just a legal
> choice: either release under GPL, or don't release at all.

The unlinked work may be affected, too, if its purpose can't be met
without linking, and thus the act of linking from the enduser becomes
a formality instead of an available technical option.  However, if
there are practical uses without linking to the GPLed library (for
example, if an API-compatible different library exists that could be
employed equally well), then the case might become shaky where the
distribution of the unlinked executable or the source is concerned.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum