using Visual Basic in open source projects

Matthew Flaschen matthew.flaschen at gatech.edu
Tue Jul 29 06:57:59 UTC 2008


Tzeng, Nigel H. wrote:
> 
>  >The paragraph is not misleading.  You are misinterpreting it.  It is not
>  >saying you /can't/ license a VB6 program under the GPL (note that it
>  >says "If you do this", which means you can do it).  It's saying if you
>  >do so, your program can't be used in a free software only environment.
> 
> No, I understand what it means.  However, I believe it is misleading
> to answer the question with that paragraph because of the implication
> that "it cannot be part of a free operating system such as GNU" can be
> misunderstood.
>  
> Which only partly true anyway.

It is completely true.  Microsoft VB6 can not be part of a free software 
environment.

   While the kernel dev's have signed a
> statement to condemn closed source drivers, binary-only modules still
> work in Linux.  Linus nixed the nuclear option on binary drivers a couple
> years ago.

Binary drivers can't be part of a free environment either.  Your point 
being?

> It is especially misleading since he's running on Windows anyway
> with the intent on using the .NET framework.

That doesn't make the paragraph misleading.  At most, it means a free 
environment is impossible in this context.

Matt Flaschen



More information about the License-discuss mailing list