Re: GSL within Public Domain Software

[Lowell Johnson <ldjohn at usgs dot gov>]

On Tue, 08 May 2001 00:30:42 +0000, E. Robert Tisdale wrote:
> You certainly can.
> But the software inherits the restrictions of the GPL.
> If you could convert GPL'd libraries into public domain libraries
> simply by using them in public domain software,
> you could incorporate the public domain libraries
> in commercial software products and simply ignore the GPL.

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.

I'm sorry if this whole discussion is off-topic for the GSL mailing list. 
This should probably be moved to gnu.misc.discuss.  I did a Deja search there
expecting this topic to have been beaten to death, but didn't see anything
that really nailed it down.

-- Lowell