[fpc-devel] LGPL vs MPL

[Daniël Mantione]

Op Tue, 26 Dec 2006, schreef Graeme Geldenhuys:

> Hi,
> =

> In August I asked a similar question (LGPL vs BSD) and got a lengthy
> discussion going, which helped me a lot in understanding the
> difference.
> =

> Now, what is the difference between the Modified LGPL (as used in FPC
> and Lazarus) compared to MPL.
> =

> Don't they really mean the same thing.
> =

> * Code modifications must be made public
> * Commercial software may be created without releasing source when
> linking to libraries. Again, not sure about static linking in MPL?
> * plus point of MPL is you don't get confusion between GPL and LGPL.
> Many just see GPL and stay away...

Yes, but, LGPL is compatible with GPL, MPL is not. So, if the RTL would =

have been MPL, we would not have been able to GPL the compiler. There is =

one exception in the GPL, and that is linking to non-GPL system libraries, =

the RTL can perhaps be considered a system library. It would still be =

doable though.

Still, the MPL is totally unusable because of one clause: "This license =

shall be governed by California law provisions". As all FPC developers =

except Carl are in Europe, it is doubtfull wether Californian law can =

apply to us at all, but for certain is that it wouldn't be very wise to =

move all legal issues to a place far, far away.

Dani=EBl