Re: [Help-gsl] Is linking to the GSL library considered a derivative work?

[Frank Reininghaus]

Hi,

Am 31. Januar 2012 18:17 schrieb Carl Boettiger <address@hidden>:
> I have developed software which I would like to release under the more
> permissive BSD license that links against the GSL libraries. As I am not
> modifying or distributing the GSL source code, I am under the impression
> that this is acceptable under the terms of GSL's GPLv3 license (i.e. I
> don't have to make my code GSL).  Is this correct?  Or does merely linking
> a GSL function make all my code GPL?

according to

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#IfLibraryIsGPL

you have to release any code using a GPL-licensed library under a
GPL-compatible license. You can find a list at

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses

This includes the modified BSD license. But the question is what
benefit this would have - users of your code could not modify and
re-release your code with a proprietary (GPL-incompatible) license as
long as it uses GSL.

Best regards,
Frank