What is the GPL that Linux falls under?
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License (GPL) is main license for Linux and many open source software. GPL license offers the freedom to share and modify software. Both Linux kernel and bash shell are licensed under GPL.
Does Linux use GPL?
The Linux Kernel is provided under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only (GPL-2.0), as provided in LICENSES/preferred/GPL-2.0, with an explicit syscall exception described in LICENSES/exceptions/Linux-syscall-note, as described in the COPYING file.
What’s wrong with GPL?
Many consider the GPL a “business-unfriendly” license because of its so-called viral nature: All software derived from GPL-licensed code must in turn be licensed under the GPL. If the GPL doesn’t work for you, you can purchase the software under an alternative commercial license.
What is the GCC runtime exception?
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license document, but changing it is not allowed. This GCC Runtime Library Exception (“Exception”) is an additional permission under section 7 of the GNU General Public License, version 3 (“GPLv3”).
Does GPL allow commercial use?
Software under the GPL may be run for all purposes, including commercial purposes and even as a tool for creating proprietary software, such as when using GPL-licensed compilers. Users or companies who distribute GPL-licensed works (e.g. software), may charge a fee for copies or give them free of charge.
Is Linux a GPL v3?
Linus Torvalds rejects the planned update to the seminal open-source license, citing its DRM provisions. Linus Torvalds said Wednesday that he won’t convert Linux to version 3 of the General Public License, as he objects to digital rights management provisions in the proposed update.
Why is GPL important in Linux?
the Linux kernel since 1992. The GPL assures that the kernel source code will always remain available. The GPL doesn’t require Linux to be free of cost, although the source code is distributed without charge. Before the GPL, Torvalds distributed Linux under a different license of his own creation.
How can you prevent GPL?
Avoid GPL violation by moving library out of process
- Create small wrapper application around that GPL library that listens to socket, parse messages and call GPL library. Then returns results back.
- Release it’s sources (to comply with GPL)
- Create client for this wrapper in my main application and don’t release sources.
Is GPL a good thing?
SCO’s Chris Sontag argues there are many reasons that the GNU General Public License is bad for the software industry. The General Public License is not good for the software industry for a variety of reasons.
What is GPL with Classpath exception?
The GNU GPL with the Classpath exception is a special case of the GNU GPL that allows developers to link to GPL classpath exception licenses library to different programs irrespective of their licenses, without subjecting the “derived” result to the terms and conditions of the GPL.
What license is glibc?
Lesser General Public License
The GNU C library, glibc, is licensed under the Lesser General Public License, LGPL. This means that it is permitted to distribute proprietary programs that call functions in glibc — but only under certain conditions. The default way to build programs is to dynamic-link to libc.so, and that’s permitted.
What does ” GPL with ClassPath Exception ” mean in practice?
It is a legally clean way to draw a bright line allowing non-GPL use of GPL or LGPL source code or libraries. GPL with classpath exception behaves like LGPL for most uses. It does mean you need to be able to ship the source for the library on demand.
Is there an exception to the GPL license?
The license of the GNU Classpath project explicitly includes a statement to that effect. Many free software libraries which are distributed under the GPL use an equivalent exception, although the wording of the exception varies.
How is Classpath distributed under the GNU general public license?
Classpath is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License with the following clarification and special exception. Linking this library statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on this library. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination.
When did the GPL link exception start in Java?
In 2007, Sun Microsystems released most of the source code to the class libraries for the Java SE and Java EE projects under version 2 of the GPL license plus the Classpath linking exception, and used the same license as one possible license for their enterprise server GlassFish and for their NetBeans Java IDE.