Dynamic and Static Linking

John Cowan jcowan at reutershealth.com
Tue Apr 4 13:09:31 UTC 2000


David Johnson wrote:
 
> I would normally agree, but consider a liberal use of inline functions,
> macros, etc. This is the rebut that I've normally heard. Personally, I
> would discount macros as "metacode", but inlines are problematic.

I agree with this: C++ header files with inline functions are
probably copyrightable.  (I'm a C troglodyte.)
 
> I'm also curious about what you consider to be the "moral issue". I
> would consider it wrong to use code in a way the author does not want
> you to use it. But I have no other indication of what the author wants
> beyond the text of the GPL. And since it is unclear at best whether the
> GPL allows dynamic linking, I am left to my own guesswork.

I think that someone licensing code under the GPL intends the spirit
of the GPL, which is surely to prevent the use of GPLed parts
in unfree programs.  The words of the GPL are just the means by which
this purpose is achieved.

-- 

Schlingt dreifach einen Kreis um dies! || John Cowan <jcowan at reutershealth.com>
Schliesst euer Aug vor heiliger Schau,  || http://www.reutershealth.com
Denn er genoss vom Honig-Tau,           || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Und trank die Milch vom Paradies.            -- Coleridge (tr. Politzer)



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