Ashley Yakeley
At 2002-09-15 16:43, Glynn Clements wrote:
Readline is a GNU package, available from ftp.gnu.org.
However, note that it is GPL (not LGPL), so it's only legally usable in GPL'd programs.
Eeesh! So this means any GHC code that uses package util (or data, which depends on it) must be distributed GPL.
Well, it depends on whether this code makes use of the readline functionality or not. If, say, you are just using GetOpt from "util", there is no need for you to make your program GPL, only because Readline happens to be in the same package. If, however, you do use readline functionality, then it's a different matter.
Would it be possible to isolate readline-using code in a separate package? I'm pretty sure I don't need readline functionality for what I'm doing, but I do need the "data" package...
Currently I distribute the source code for my HBase library under LGPL. But because HBase binaries would typically include readline code, users of my binaries would be obliged to comply with the GPL.
What do you mean by "would typically include readline code". Does it use readline or not? If not, no need to change the license. As for package reorganisation, the new libraries structure takes care of things like that. Cheers, Manuel