<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Dec 3, 2007 11:19 AM, Chuck Swiger <<a href="mailto:chuck@codefab.com">chuck@codefab.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div class="Ih2E3d"><br><br></div>If Postgres also works without GNU readline, or if it also works using<br>the BSD-licensed version of libreadline, then it seems clear enough<br>that Postgres by itself is not a derivative work of GNU readline.
<br>However, a precompiled binary which statically links in GNU readline<br>clearly would be.</blockquote><div><br>It does but not pleasantly. Nobody in their right mind would run it that way given a choice.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<br><br>The same would apply to a proprietary closed-source program-- if it<br>ships as a binary which statically links in GNU readline, than they<br>need to honor the GPL and release their sources. The interesting case<br>
is what happens if a proprietary binary works fine as is, but is<br>willing to dynamically load libreadline if available. :-)</blockquote><div><br>This is not the FSF's view (they claim that even optional use of Readline means that the program falls under the requirements of the GPL). If the license is compatible, though (as it is in PostgreSQL's case) then there isn't a problem. Note that this probably means you can use BSD-licensed bridges to proprietary code with no problems (you just treat it as GPL + linking exceptions). This is the issue-- if the FSF pushes the issue, then they suggest that linking exceptions cannot be added to works which use their libraries.
<br><br>Best Wishes,<br>Chris Travers<br></div></div><br>