[sword-devel] Sword license

[Jimmie Houchin]

Yes, I understand the GPL. In many instances I believe it is often the 
better license. I greatly appreciate the GPL in regard to my Linux OS.

I also think it is great that you distribute WEB as Public Domain. I 
would do likewise if I ever publish like material.

When I talk about the viral nature of the GPL I am by no means being 
derogatory. The GPL has its place. And in its place I enjoy its benefits.

I speak more on this in another post.

Thanks.

Jimmie Houchin

Rev. Michael Paul Johnson wrote:
> At 17:37 16-01-03 -0600, Jimmie Houchin wrote:
> 
>> I have a question about the Sword license.
>>
>> From what I see the source code is GPL. In many instances I have no 
>> problem with the GPL. In general I have no problem with Sword being GPL.
>>
>> If I read the Sword/JSword source code and from that 
>> design/information write (port would be accurate?) classes, methods, 
>> etc. in Squeak to process Sword Modules would I be obligated to also 
>> use the GPL?
>>
>> The reason I ask is because of the viral nature of the GPL. GPL is not 
>> appropriate for any non-GPLed Smalltalk. Smalltalk source is in an 
>> image. All of it is linked by GPL definition. Any use of GPL code in a 
>> Smalltalk image compels the entire image to be GPLed. This is not 
>> possible.
> 
> ...
> 
> The advantage of the GPL is that it prevents someone from taking your 
> free software and using it as part of non-free software, and provides an 
> economic incentive for even major corporations and governments to 
> embrace free software. I would say that the GPL is probably a major 
> reason for the success of Linux. Your point is well-taken, however, that 
> the Gnu Public License prevents many people from using code so licensed. 
> That is why I rarely publish code as GPL. Sometimes I use the Gnu Lesser 
> Public License (formerly called the Gnu Library Public License), and for 
> some things, I just release the code as Public Domain. LGPL code is 
> usable in a GPL project, and it is also usable in a non-free project.
> 
> 
> Rev. Michael Paul Johnson
> Servant of Jesus Christ
> mpj@eBible.org
> http://eBible.org/mpj/
> <http://ebible.org/mpj/>