Re: [Boost-users] Re: about license

At Tuesday 2004-02-24 18:42, you wrote:

Marleny Rafferty writes:

...

Hi-

I am considering using boost in my applications, but I have a question about the boost license at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt . It says (edited) "Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to ... use [and] reproduce ... the Software".

It also says that any derivative works must also have the same license grant.

If my application uses boost libraries unchanged, is it considered a derivative work?

Yes.

...

If so, does that mean that if I distribute my compiled software, I must allow free of charge use and distribution?

No, the license gives an explicit exemption for compiled code (emphasis mine):

all derivative works of the Software, UNLESS SUCH COPIES OR DERIVATIVE WORKS ARE SOLELY IN THE FORM OF MACHINE-EXECUTABLE OBJECT CODE GENERATED BY A SOURCE LANGUAGE PROCESSOR.

Your interpretation says a copy of the source must be "free to use and reproduce" but the compiled output not. 1) I don't belive it 2) I don't believe that's enforceable 3) who is protected by this? Certainly not anyone trying to USE the library.

-- Dave Abrahams Boost Consulting www.boost-consulting.com

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