Jun 17, 2016 what you need to know about gnu lgpl open source licensing by dr. In a nutshell, the idea of lgpl d projects usually libraries is that you are free to use them as you wish in your own application, be it open or closed source, free or proprietary as long as you publish the source code of the lgpl d part if you modify the lgpl d part, you must publish the modified sources, under lgpl. This includes all free software licenses, as well as all proprietary software licenses. Gpl gnu general public license, versions 2 and 3 agpl gnu affero general public license epl eclipse public license, version 1 licenses with a weak copyleft lgpl gnu lesser general public license, versions, 2, 2. The gnu general public license is a free, copyleft license for software and other. It was not published by the free software foundation, and does not legally state the distribution terms for documents that uses the gnu lgpl only the original english text of the gnu lgpl does that. Version 3 of the lgpl was published in 2007 as a list of additional. Gnu general public license, version 3 spdx short identifier.
Tiki can be used to create all kinds of web applications, sites, portals, knowledge base, intranets, and extranets. Dec 30, 2014 the challenge in open source licenses comes from projects that mix different types. The agplv3s section states an additional condition not present in gplv2 or gplv3. For more information about how to release your own software under this license, please see our page of instructions. Revised versions of the gnu lesser general public license.
To make it free software, you need to release it under a free software license. I am only distributing my product with the microcontroller having the binaries embedded. What is the difference between gpl, agpl and lgpl licenses. The gnu lesser general public license lgpl is a freesoftware license published by the. Lgpl 2, but lgpl 3 seems to allow static linking if i understand it correctly.
Among the two gpl is the basis of open source software. Contribute to piotrturskizohhak development by creating an account on github. Also, theres nothing preventing you from selling an open source app on the microsoft app marketplace. It is a software license published by the free software foundation. Both licenses have the same copyleft scope, but materially differ in one important way. Copyleft is a form of licensing, and can be used to. Using python module on lgpl license in commercial product. Defining a subclass of a class defined by the library is deemed a mode of using an interface provided by the library. Gnu lesser general public license version 3 open source. The full license texts of all licenses that will be issued with the system. If the library as you received it specifies that a proxy can decide.
Apache 2 software can therefore be included in gplv3 projects, because the gplv3. For security reasons i do not want to reveal the complete source code of my firmware. This information allows us to check for the following issues. Whenwespeakoffreesoftware,wearereferringtofreedom,notprice. Aug 28, 2014 gnu librarylesser general public license lgpl the above copyleft license didnt work for many software libraries because no one who was releasing any type of software commercially or under an alternative license would use them, which was the whole purpose of releasing the libraries. Copyleft is a distinguishing feature of some free software licenses. Top 10 gnu gpl license questions answered whitesource. While always an important part of the free and opensource software foss license landscape, since around 2010, several authors noted a raising popularity of the permissive licenses in contrast to the copyleft license as of 2015, the mit licence, a permissive license, is the most popular license in the foss domain before a copyleft one, the second placed gplv2. The gnu affero general public license version 3 agplv3 is a copyleft license nearly identical to the gplv3. Gnu general public license v3 gpl 3 364012 code license managed by kevin. Understanding copyleft licenses at a high level unlocks a world of new software, from linux to wordpress to libreoffice and more permissive and copyleft. The library refers to a covered work governed by this license, other than an application or a combined work as defined below.
We normally use the gnu general public license gnu gpl, specifying version 3 or any later version, but occasionally we use other free software licenses. Bear in mind though, this article does push stallmans personal views on software. The difference between the gpl and the lgpl is that with the lgpl, the entire work doesnt have to have the same license. The gpl, lgpl, and mozilla licenses the licenses described in this chapter are very different from those described in chapter 2. The fsf claims that gpl v2 is incompatible with apache 2. The lgpl license allows an application that references the binaries to remain closedsource. So in a nutshell, the fsf considers that the terms of the apache license are compatible with the copyleft terms of the gpl 3. There is an ongoing debate as to which class of license provides the greater degree of freedom.
If you have licensed software youve written under gpl version 2, and you are the original licensor of that software, you may. This is true for lgpl 2, but lgpl 3 seems to allow static linking if i understand it correctly. The lgpl and gpl licenses differ with one major exception. Also, theres nothing preventing you from selling an open source. Works under the creative commons attribution ccby licenses 2. See the gnu lesser general public license for more details. The copyleft applies to any library based on lgpled code. The lesser general public license is sometimes described as a weak copyleft license, because code licensed under lgpls terms can be combined with code under nonfree licenses, and is sometimes used in that fashion. Fsf doesnt encourage use of the lgpl automatically for any software that. What are the major differences between gnu lgpl v3 and v2. This is an unofficial translation of the lgpl free documentation license into chinese.
Apache 2 software can therefore be included in gplv3 projects, because the gplv3 license accepts our software into gplv3 works. The software freedom law center provides practical advice for developers about including permissively licensed source. General public license ever published by the free software foundation. We use only licenses that are compatible with the gnu gpl for gnu software. Background information about the gnu lgpl, version 3 lgpl3. I am building an iot product, an home automation solution, where i am using esp8266 arduino core that is lgpl2. Using python module on lgpl license in commercial product closed ask question asked 7 years. However, the linking exception of the lgpl allows linking from an apache 2.
The result is that any software that uses any gpl open source. Lgplv3 0 defines the library a work that presents one or more interfaces at which a use can be made by an application. General public license, you may choose any version of the gnu lesser. The lesser general public license lgpl is a more permissive license weak copyleft. Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail. Copyleft, distinguished from, is the practice of offering people the right to freely distribute copies and modified versions of a work with the stipulation that the same rights be preserved in derivative works created later. The lesser general public license is sometimes described as a weak copyleft license, because code licensed under lgpl s terms can be combined with code under nonfree licenses, and is. Defining a subclass of a class defined by the library is. Copyleft license lgplgpl is only good, if you want to prevent commercial proprietary forks from taking over, if you do not have a better protection in place. Can i use an lgpllicenced library in my commercial app.
Mr stallman himself has an essay about this and other issues on the gnu site. In contrast to lgpl, gpl requires that you provide the code for all changes made to the software. You should have received a copy of the gnu lesser general public license along with this library. Lgplv3 redresses this historical problem through extensive use of gplv3 7s exception architecture. Lgplv3 is therefore a set of additional permission to gplv3. This license, commonly known as the gpl, has two versions that are actively and widely used in many open source communities. Background information about the gnu lgpl, version 3 lgpl 3. The gnu general public license is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works.
These licenses impose substantial limitations on selection from understanding open source and free software licensing book. The copyleft applies to all software based on gpled code. It so happens that another weak copyleft license has been created by people who really wanted hybrid software with an open source part and a proprietary part to be possible. It was not published by the free software foundation, and does not legally state the distribution terms for documents that uses the gnu lgplonly the original english text of the gnu lgpl does that. This license is a set of additional permissions added to version 3 of the gnu general public license. I am planning to develop a commercial software using a lgpl software. In a nutshell, the idea of lgpld projects usually libraries is that you are free to use them as you wish in your own application, be it open or closed source, free or proprietary as long as you publish the source code of the lgpld part if you modify the lgpld part, you must publish the modified sources, under lgpl additionally, the libraries must be linked dynamically so that they. Many free software licenses are not copyleft licenses because they do not require the licensee to distribute derivative works under the same license.
The gnu lesser general public license gnu lgpl was designed as a solution for such situations. Asf 3rd party license policy apache software foundation. A fundamental software, like ethereum, which i view as an operating system for internet 3. The license allows developers and companies to use and integrate a software component released under the lgpl into their own even proprietary software without being required by the terms of a strong copyleft license to release the source code of their own components. When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not price.
The library refers to a covered work governed by this license, other than an application or a. The free software foundation may publish revised andor new versions of the gnu lesser general public license from time to time. Copyleft software licenses are considered protective or reciprocal, as contrasted with permissive freesoftware licenses. The lgpl was created by the fsf as a modification of the gpl with a weaker copyleft, allowing the linking of lgpllicensed software with any other software.
Lgpl is used to license free software so that it can be incorporated into both free and proprietary software. The asf agrees, but the copyleft terms of the gpl 3. In particular situations, even those of us with the goal of building a world where all published software is free software realize that full copyleft does not best serve us. The gnu lesser general public license, also known as the lgpl, is a more permissive version of the gpl the gnu general public license. In gpl, binary works are controlled by the terms of the license in gplv2 3, and. The type of license chosen should a be determined by the license of code that is included. However, we would recommend reading the licenses to better understand their scope, and in particular, to understand how the lgpl and gpl define based on.
In its origins lgpl stood for library general public license, but afterwards it took its current name lesser general public license standing for the fsfs opinion that says. The gpl, lgpl, and mozilla licenses understanding open. Thus their inclusion shall be appropriately labelled and only in binary form. Gnu general public license, version 2 spdx short identifier. As used herein, this license refers to version 3 of the gnu lesser general public license, and the gnu gpl refers to version 3 of the gnu general public license. Gnu librarylesser general public license lgpl the above copyleft license didnt work for many software libraries because no one who was releasing any type of software commercially or under an alternative license would use them, which was the whole purpose of releasing the libraries. The free software foundation call the gplstyle restrictions you must release any modifications under the same licence copyleft. This license, the library general public license, applies to some specially designated free software foundation software, and to any other libraries whose authors decide to use it. The free software foundation considers the apache license, version 2. The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to take away your freedom to share and change the works. The differences between the gpl, lgpl and the bsd fosswire. The gnu lesser general public license lgpl is a free software license published by the free software foundation fsf. The copyleft applies to any files containing mpled code.
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