Re: GSL within Public Domain Software

["Timothy H. Keitt" <Timothy dot Keitt at StonyBrook dot Edu>]

Are you prohibited from distributing code under license if you also 
release the same code into the public domain?  You could have a public 
domain / GPL licence and simply make a note that if used with the GSL 
(or any other GPL code), the user must choose the GPL licence, otherwise 
the code is public domain.

Tim

Brian Gough wrote:

> Lowell Johnson writes:
>  >  My hope is that each module retains its original license.  (This
>  > only applies to GPL-compatible licenses.)  In other words, my
>  > application code would remain in the public domain and the GSL
>  > would remain under the GPL.  Anyone wanting to pull my code into a
>  > proprietary package is welcome to do so, but they'll have to deal
>  > with rewriting the sections that call GSL functions.
>  >  This is one interpretation of what is said at
>  >      http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html
>  >  pointed out in an earlier message by Jason Beegan, although the
>  > GPL does state that any "derived" application inherits the GPL.  It
>  > seems like there is room for more clarity.
> 
> Yes, I don't know what the legal interpretations of these terms are
> either.  I just work by the rule that using the GPL is safe and what
> we would recommend for the general user, although that is not applicable
> in this case...  you could also try asking <licensing@gnu.org>
> about your situtation as they may have dealt with it before.
> 
> 


-- 
Timothy H. Keitt
Department of Ecology and Evolution
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Phone: 631-632-1101, FAX: 631-632-7626
http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/ee/keitt/