Effect of the MySQL FLOSS License Exception?

jcowan at reutershealth.com jcowan at reutershealth.com
Fri Jun 18 19:02:09 UTC 2004


Lawrence Rosen scripsit:

> When did I say no? A binary compiled from the entire tarball is a
> derivative of the entire source module collection.

Of the entire collection, yes.  But is it a derivative of *each* source
module as well?

> And each binary module compiled from each of its modules is a derivative
> of its own individual source module.

Clearly.

> The real question I'm posing is: By doing this (these) compilations of a
> source tarball that contains proprietary module X and open source module Y,
> does the source or compiled version of X become a derivative work of Y? 

Which "compiled version of X"?  X.o is clearly not a derivative of Y.c.
However, is XY, the executable block of bits resulting from statically
linking X.o and Y.o, a derivative of Y.c?  That's the crux.  If yes,
then at least part of the FSF's reading of the GPL is correct; if no,
then your reading is correct.

-- 
If you understand,                      John Cowan
   things are just as they are;         http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
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   things are just as they are.         jcowan at reutershealth.com
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