LGPL vs. GPL + Classpath Exception

[John Cowan]

Roger Fujii scripsit:

> I cannot see how you can write a java class that is not covered by the
> GPL with a GPLed java.lang.object as *ALL* java classes are subclassed
> from java.lang.object.  As I said before, this makes it impossible
> to make an independent module (unless you compile it with a non-GPLed
> java.lang.object elsewhere).  If you look at the libstdc++ exception,
> it is very explict that it's mere inclusion/use does not necessarily
> cause coverage by the GPL.  Subclassing is the reason.

1) That's the FSF's opinion, and nobody knows whether it represents
the actual state of the law.

2) It's one thing to say that A depends on B if B is the only thing
that A interfaces with in that particular fashion.  But if there also
exist B', B'', B''', all providing the same interface, then it's another
story.  This is what underlies the "system libraries exception" in GPL2.

-- 
You escaped them by the will-death              John Cowan
and the Way of the Black Wheel.                 cowan at ccil.org
I could not.  --Great-Souled Sam                http://www.ccil.org/~cowan