[Mono-list] The viral license problem (was System.CodeDom.Compiler licensing issues)

[Dick Porter]

On Thu, May 23, 2002 at 01:35:50PM -0600, Brad Wilson wrote:
> Daniel Carrera wrote:
> 
> > Yes, but the GPL is not any more "viral" than a license from Microsoft
> > which limits your ability to use their code (e.g. their shared source
> > license).
> 
> I disagree. The Microsoft license says you can't use their stuff for
> commercial use, but it makes no additional requirements of any code that
> links to them. The GPL says that by merely linking, you now must make your
> own code GPL. That is specifically the problem in discussion here.

Noone is forced to make their code GPL.  They have a choice:

a) Take someone else's GPL code and use it, thereby making their own
   code GPL too.
b) Not use GPL code in their product, and reimplement the functionality
   themselves.

- Dick