[horde] License Issue

[Michael M Slusarz]

Quoting Chuck Hagenbuch <chuck at horde.org>:

| Quoting Rob Brandt <bronto at csd-bes.net>:
|
| > If however his code simply makes URL calls to horde, then takes the
| html
| > output, parses it, then modifies the resulting links and converts them
| in
| > to links that point back to his module, then it is not really a
| dirivitive
| > work of Horde.  Nor would it be accessing any of the functions or APIs
| of
| > Horde.

To expand on Rob's comment - your analysis may not necessarily be true. 
Some readings of the GPL state that _any_ interaction of code with GPL code
causes *all* code to be under the GPL.  Such is the viral nature of GPL,
and why some companies are so afraid of it (e.g. Microsoft doesn't want
some low level prgrammer accidentally linking to GPL code and, thus, cause
all of Windows to become GPL'd).

Whether this reading is correct, no one knows as of yet.  As far as U.S.
courts are concerned, there haven't been any cases yet testing the GPL
(there have been 2 or 3 cases that have mentioned it, but no discussion of
the merits yet).

LGPL code doesn't have this viral effect - although PHP may muddy this
judgment.  LGPL does not affect outside code if it is simply "work that
uses the library".  However, "linking a 'work that uses the Library' with
the Library creates an executable that is a derivative of the Library
(because it contains portions of the Library)...".  Since PHP must
'compile' the code before it executes, does this make it an "executable"
program?  Who knows...

michael

______________________________________________
Michael Slusarz [slusarz at bigworm.colorado.edu]
The University of Colorado at Boulder