Tcl - License question

Author

License question

Kevin Walzer

2004-10-24, 3:57 pm

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A Tcl application I'm developing uses some GPL code, and I am releasing
it under the GPL. Most of the code I've used to learn programming is
GPL, so I'm generally comfortable with this.

I was asked by a few people, however, why I didn't release under a
BSD-style license, which is more prevalent with Tcl apps. I'm willing to
consider this, but it was my understanding that you can't take GPL code
and release it under a BSD license--even though BSD licenses are
"approved" by both OSI and the FSF. Is this understanding correct? Would
I be able to release under a BSD license only if I remove the GPL code,
or can I leave it in with no problem?

- --
Kevin Walzer, PhD
WordTech Software--Open Source Applications and Packages for OS X
http://www.wordtech-software.com
http://www.smallbizmac.com
http://www.kevin-walzer.com
mailto:sw@wordtech-software.com
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Georgios Petasis

2004-10-24, 8:56 pm

You have to remove all GPL code to release it under BSD (and of course
use only BSD or compatible license). If you whant to keep the GPL code,
you must release the whole app as GLP.

George

"Kevin Walzer" <sw@wordtech-software.com> wrote in message
news:p9Red.504$b%5.432@fe37.usenetserver.com...
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> A Tcl application I'm developing uses some GPL code, and I am releasing
> it under the GPL. Most of the code I've used to learn programming is
> GPL, so I'm generally comfortable with this.
>
> I was asked by a few people, however, why I didn't release under a
> BSD-style license, which is more prevalent with Tcl apps. I'm willing to
> consider this, but it was my understanding that you can't take GPL code
> and release it under a BSD license--even though BSD licenses are
> "approved" by both OSI and the FSF. Is this understanding correct? Would
> I be able to release under a BSD license only if I remove the GPL code,
> or can I leave it in with no problem?
>
>
> - --
> Kevin Walzer, PhD
> WordTech Software--Open Source Applications and Packages for OS X
> http://www.wordtech-software.com
> http://www.smallbizmac.com
> http://www.kevin-walzer.com
> mailto:sw@wordtech-software.com
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> iD8DBQFBe97VJmdQs+6YVcoRAugeAJ9Es/AjUzB9h07yAh3/Q3Swgzfl2QCeO/M3
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Peter Dalgaard

2004-10-24, 8:56 pm

"Georgios Petasis" <petasis@iit.demokritos.gr> writes:

> You have to remove all GPL code to release it under BSD (and of course
> use only BSD or compatible license). If you whant to keep the GPL code,
> you must release the whole app as GLP.

....unless, of course, it is code that you wrote yourself, or otherwise
have the distribution rights to. Which, notwithstanding the "derived
work" issue, is logical: BSD allows things that GPL expressly forbids,
such as putting distribution restrictions on binaries, and you cannot
allow what the copyright owner has forbidden.

--
O__ ---- Peter Dalgaard Blegdamsvej 3
c/ /'_ --- Dept. of Biostatistics 2200 Cph. N
(*) \(*) -- University of Copenhagen Denmark Ph: (+45) 35327918
~~~~~~~~~~ - (p.dalgaard@biostat.ku.dk) FAX: (+45) 35327907

Kevin Walzer

2004-10-25, 3:59 am

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Thanks for the info. I think I will replace the GPL'd code--I've found
some BSD licenced code at the Tcl wiki that is just as good.

Georgios Petasis wrote:

| You have to remove all GPL code to release it under BSD (and of course
| use only BSD or compatible license). If you whant to keep the GPL code,
| you must release the whole app as GLP.
|
| George
|
| "Kevin Walzer" <sw@wordtech-software.com> wrote in message
| news:p9Red.504$b%5.432@fe37.usenetserver.com...
|
| A Tcl application I'm developing uses some GPL code, and I am releasing
| it under the GPL. Most of the code I've used to learn programming is
| GPL, so I'm generally comfortable with this.
|
| I was asked by a few people, however, why I didn't release under a
| BSD-style license, which is more prevalent with Tcl apps. I'm willing to
| consider this, but it was my understanding that you can't take GPL code
| and release it under a BSD license--even though BSD licenses are
| "approved" by both OSI and the FSF. Is this understanding correct? Would
| I be able to release under a BSD license only if I remove the GPL code,
| or can I leave it in with no problem?
|
|

- --
Kevin Walzer, PhD
WordTech Software--Open Source Applications and Packages for OS X
http://www.wordtech-software.com
http://www.smallbizmac.com
http://www.kevin-walzer.com
mailto:sw@wordtech-software.com
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