Re: [Bluez-users] Linking to BlueZ from non-GPL code

[Brad Midgley <bmidgley@xmission.com>]

Trevor

I usually try to stay out of this but a technical solution is to write a 
GPL shim that links with -lbluetooth and that you use via APIs across 
which the GPL is not required to hold. Again, talk to your lawyer.

Brad

Pering, Trevor wrote:
> Ok, then it sounds like we (me and the lawyers and you) are all in
> agreement -- what it comes down to is the source of the *.h files.  If
> they come from the kernel (which wouldn't make sense for BlueZ), then
> things would be ok.  However, trying to use BlueZ user-level *.h files
> with not-GPL would not be allowed.  (I'm just reiterating this for the
> benefit of clarity and consensus).
> 
> Cheers,
> 	Trevor
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bluez-users-admin@lists.sourceforge.net
> [mailto:bluez-users-admin@lists.sourceforge.net] On Behalf Of Marcel
> Holtmann
> Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 3:48 PM
> To: bluez-users@lists.sourceforge.net
> Subject: RE: [Bluez-users] Linking to BlueZ from non-GPL code
> 
> Hi Trevor,
> 
> 
>>As for the non-GPL use of the kernel, I was referring to: (from
>>http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/COPYING)
>>
>>"NOTE! This copyright does *not* cover user programs that use kernel
>> services by normal system calls - this is merely considered normal
> 
> use
> 
>> of the kernel, and does *not* fall under the heading of "derived
> 
> work".
> 
>> Also note that the GPL below is copyrighted by the Free Software
>> Foundation, but the instance of code that it refers to (the linux
>> kernel) is copyrighted by me and others who actually wrote it."
>>
>>But I'm not sure if by "disagree" you meant disagree with the
>>interpretation, or the intent behind it...  I have been advised by our
>>lawyers that this does allow simple use of *.h files to include kernel
>>constants and things like that -- but would not extend to user-land
>>libraries.
> 
> 
> from my interpretation this is only ok if the include files are under
> LGPL. This is normally done by having extra include files for the
> userspace. Remember that we don't include kernel headers from userspace
> programs. If you include *.h files that are under GPL then your program
> becomes GPL, because you include GPL code. In the case of BlueZ you
> can't include the kernel header files, because they are not compatible.
> So you need to use the *.h files from bluez-libs and these are GPL. This
> means you have to rewrite them from scratch and from my view this is not
> possible, because you will create derived work. However I am not a
> lawyer and if you think (or your lawyer do) you are safe then go ahead,
> but done blame me afterwards that I haven't warned you.
> 
> And btw don't get me wrong. I will try to make the BlueZ library LGPL as
> soon as I got the permission from Qualcomm. Without it we don't really
> need to think or talk about it.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Marcel
> 
> 
> 
> 
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