distributing GPL libreries

[Lawrence Rosen]

Further questions below. /Larry


> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Woolley [mailto:forums at david-woolley.me.uk]
> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 2:28 PM
> To: license-discuss at opensource.org
> Subject: Re: distributing GPL libreries
> 
> Kai-Uwe Behrmann wrote:
> > We had recently a discussion about distributing GPL licensed libraries.
> > My point of view is that, this would put any GPL incompatible code at
> risc
> > for violating the GPL on such a system.
> > Is this true?

[LR:] Why is there any risk for GPL incompatible code? Who is "violating the
GPL" and what does that really mean?
 
David Woolley responded:
> The reason that one would distribute GPL libraries is that one does want
>   to discourage linking with non-GPLed code.  I believe that the FSF
> prefers libraries to be GPL for this reason, but makes a dispensation
> for certain libraries.

[LR:] Why should anyone want to discourage linking with non-GPL code? What
does FSF's preference have to do with anything?