>>1.if you are the copyright holder of the GPL code then you can do that<br>
>>It does not matter whetehr the work is GPL or not; if I am the owner /<br>
>>creator, I can do just as I please with it. I am surprised that this<br>
>>statement was made at all.<br><br>
I am the owner/creator of the GPL code not of the closed source dll.does it make a difference?<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 11:04 AM, Mahesh T. Pai <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:paivakil@gmail.com">paivakil@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">Dale said on Fri, Jun 03, 2011 at 09:04:08AM +0300,:<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> Hi<br>
> Can GPLv3 code access functions (with dynamic/runtime linking) of a closed<br>
> source .dll (not operating system .dll but an applications' library) which<br>
> exposes an API ? Keep in mind that the dll although closed source is free<br>
> for use<br>
<br>
</div>So, you have A.exe accessing functionality provided by B.dll.<br>
<br>
What makes you think that #2, GPL v3 does not apply??<br>
<br>
"This License explicitly affirms your unlimited permission to run the<br>
unmodified Program."<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> 1.if you are the copyright holder of the GPL code then you can do that<br>
<br>
</div>It does not matter whetehr the work is GPL or not; if I am the owner /<br>
creator, I can do just as I please with it. I am surprised that this<br>
statement was made at all.<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> 2.if you are the copyright holder of the GPL code then you can<br>
> do that provided that you add a clause to the GPL license that<br>
> your code can be linked against closed source APIs.Although I<br>
> find that this mostly should concern 3rd party developers who<br>
> want to use your GPL code and link it against closed source APIs<br>
<br>
</div>I will rephrase that in slightly lesser words:- "I, as the creator /<br>
owner of the copyrighted work need to grant myself permission to use<br>
it."<br>
<br>
I hope I got that I got it correct; if so, I am speechless.<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> 3.If you GPL code uses dynamic/runtime linking rather than static,then it<br>
> is ok<br>
<br>
</div>If GPL code uses static linking of non-GPL work, you have violated<br>
license terms of the non-GPLed work. (I am assuming the "non-GPLed<br>
work" here is closed source, non-modifiable, work).<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> 4.If your GPL code accesses another non-GPL but open source library and<br>
> this library calls the closed source API then your GPL code uses an<br>
> intermediate interface which acts as the communication bridge between them<br>
> thus does not access the closed source directly,which is ok.I see some<br>
> people describe that as a 'shim'<br>
<br>
</div>Why is this shim shim required?<br>
<br>
If the non-free API is in legitimate possession of the user, the GPL<br>
code does not impose any burden on the user. AFAICT, AFAIK.<br>
<br>
I have seen shims in use, but that is mostly to overcome<br>
_distribution_ and/or packaging limitations.<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> So if the GPL code cannot access the .dll directly,can it through those<br>
<br>
</div>If the GPL'ed code cannot access another library, the only reason<br>
would be technical, not legal or license, IMHO.<br>
<div class="im"><br>
> libraries?<br>
> GPL code <----> non-GPL but (GPL compatible) open source library <----><br>
> closed source. dll<br>
><br>
<br>
<br>
> It looks like that GPL is too restricive in a sense<br>
<br>
</div>In what sense?<br>
<br>
GPL does NOT restrict how you use code covered by the GPL. And, IMHO,<br>
"use" in the GPL's sense includes access of other programs.<br>
<br>
Of course, when things work in other direction, GPL kicks in, and that<br>
is why some people prefer to call GPL a "viral" license.<br>
<br>
I am no longer a lawyer though; and TINLA.<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
--<br>
Mahesh T. Pai ||<br>
TRUTH, n. An ingenious compound of desirability and<br>
appearance. Discovery of truth is the sole purpose of<br>
philosophy, which is the most ancient occupation of the<br>
human mind and has a fair prospect of existing with<br>
increasing activity to the end of time.<br>
</font></blockquote></div><br>