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