Would you consider adding a a GPL linking exception to allow usage in non GPL-licensed code?

[pombredanne]

Dear @c3d,
It would be awesome if this code could used also in non-GPL programs. Possibly something akin to the GCC exception at https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gcc-exception-3.1.html ?
Thank you for your kind consideration!
Feel free to ignore this if you feel strongly about the GPL: as they it is OK to ask as long as one can take no for an answer, as I can...
Thanks!

[c3d]

That’s a good point. The recorder is intended for use in many programs. I will do that. Thanks Christophe

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On 6 Dec 2017, at 21:20, Philippe Ombredanne ***@***.***> wrote: Dear @c3d, It would be awesome if this code could used also in non-GPL programs. Possibly something akin to the GCC exception at https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gcc-exception-3.1.html ? Thank you for your kind consideration! Feel free to ignore this if you feel strongly about the GPL: as they it is OK to ask as long as one can take no for an answer, as I can... Thanks! — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[freddy77]

I think this was done time ago and can be closed

[c3d]

Actually, I need to double check. I created a script to maintain the headers in my projects. Right now, it spits out straight GPLv3, so I think that it may have removed the old linking exception. Let me double check that.

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On 28 Mar 2019, at 11:08, freddy77 ***@***.***> wrote: I think this was done time ago and can be closed — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[federkamm]

Hello Christophe,

First, let me thank you very much for you very useful library.

Do I understand correctly, that I'm not supposed to link statically against your library from closed source code (that's what I have heared about the LGPLv3)?

Currently, I have librecorder.so installed on my computer and use it during development but disable it for releases to not (1) force the user of my programs to need to install librecorder.so on their machine or (2) to have to do some RPATH-hacking to make my binary find the library (also, I like to distribute small programs as single executable file).

How do you see the situation?

Am I allowed to distribute closed source programs that link statically against an unmodified version of 'recorder'? (I'm mostly talking about small "utilities" that I use myself and distribute among my collegues at work. For "larger" software projects that we sell (I'm not directly involved in them), dynamically linking would be no issue, since they come with sophisticated build systems and installers anyways, that can take care of the correct distribution of the librecorder.so).

Also, what do you feel about "credits". Usually, "documentation" in my programs is limited to a "usage" line when something with the parameters didn't work out well. I could write there something like "Btw., this program was developed with help of the awesome c3d/recorder, check it out on GitHub!", but if this is already 5-50% of the whole documentation of the program, this might already qualify as "using the name of the library or the author to promote the own program", which is explicitly forbidden in some licenses (not sure about the LGPLv3, however).

Thank you very much for your opinions about these topics,
Bastian

[c3d]

Hello Bastian,

On 18 Mar 2021, at 17:13, federkamm ***@***.***> wrote: Hello Christophe, First, let me thank you very much for you very useful library. Do I understand correctly, that I'm not supposed to link statically against your library from closed source code (that's what I have heared about the LGPLv3)?

Well, normally, this is LGPLv2+, so you are free to choose v3. I personally don't mind at all if you link statically. My understanding of what the license requires is that you should share the .o files in that case so that your users can re-link with a more recent version of the library. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#LGPLStaticVsDynamic

Currently, I have librecorder.so installed on my computer and use it during development but disable it for releases to not (1) force the user of my programs to need to install librecorder.so on their machine or (2) to have to do some RPATH-hacking to make my binary find the library (also, I like to distribute small programs as single executable file). How do you see the situation? Am I allowed to distribute closed source programs that link statically against an unmodified version of 'recorder'? (I'm mostly talking about small "utilities" that I use myself and distribute among my collegues at work. For "larger" software projects that we sell (I'm not directly involved in them), dynamically linking would be no issue, since they come with sophisticated build systems and installers anyways, that can take care of the correct distribution of the librecorder.so)

As far as I can tell, you are allowed to do it. But if you distribute among colleagues at work, chances are you want to do it in a way that someone else can rebuild the tools. So you probably have some internal git repo or something like that. In that case, you are allowing users to link with a more recent version and tat's fine.

Also, what do you feel about "credits". Usually, "documentation" in my programs is limited to a "usage" line when something with the parameters didn't work out well. I could write there something like "Btw., this program was developed with help of the awesome c3d/recorder, check it out on GitHub!", but if this is already 5-50% of the whole documentation of the program, this might already qualify as "using the name of the library or the author to promote the own program", which is explicitly forbidden in some licenses (not sure about the LGPLv3, however).

Promotion is welcome. This is a relatively new library, not very well known. Now, I don't know how you implement it in your tool, i.e. if you have support for environment variables or some --trace option for tracing or whatever. But one things that might help spread the word is talking about tracing / graphing capabilities that are relevant to your program, and putting a link to https://github.com/c3d/recorder to explain how to use them.

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Thank you very much for your opinions about these topics, Bastian — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#1 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAM6BNGACNBBM66VZC4C3ZLTEIRBDANCNFSM4EHCDU7Q>.