[License-discuss] Undistributable binaries and network services

[Maximilian]

On 13/03/2015 00:07, ChanMaxthon wrote:
> Sometimes licenses conflict, producing a non-distributable mess of licenses for a piece of code. Using my such code internally is not that much of a problem but what if I used such piece of code in a web application?
>
> My project involves transcoding video files on the cloud, hard dubbing the subtitles and emitting multiple formats. The service used a version of libav that is linked in a non-distributable fashion. Will that cause me any trouble?
>
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I would have thought that the answer to your question depends on exactly
how each software component is licensed, and I'll assume here that the
components your project uses are licensed under typical open source
licences.

As you won't be distributing the software, just running it, the fact
that it is linked in a way which is not distributable should not matter
as you're merely distributing the output of the software and not the
software itself. So it's quite likely that it would be fine.

If on the other hand you're linking with something licensed under the
AGPL then you would be obliged to make the source code available to
users of your web application. Whilst this provision should not conflict
with the fact that your build of the software is linked in a way which
you say cannot be distributed, you would need to release the (complete)
source.


If anyone else can add to this please do, as I have a feeling I'm
missing something out here...


--
Maximilian