-----Original Message----- From: boost-bounces@lists.boost.org [mailto:boost-bounces@lists.boost.org] On Behalf Of gmane Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 2:03 PM To: boost@lists.boost.org Subject: Re: [boost] boost.math
Correct me if I am wrong on this, but the use of NTL::RR or MPFR automatically forces you to comply with the GPL, meaning that they are practically worthless for commercial use.
I believe you are right about using NTL RR (we have asked the author of NTL to change the license but without success) but previous discussions seemed to conclude that GMP http://gmplib.org/ might be used (because is it LGPL not GPL) and discouraged anyone from writing Boost's Own Version of big integer (and big float) libraries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGPL says (apart from other matters): "Whether a work that uses an LGPL program is a derivative work or not is a legal issue." IANAL and I fear that many lawyers would take the view that the situation causes too much FUD to be acceptable. This all seems a regrettable waste of the massive efforts of the GMP team - "the fastest bignum library on the planet!". Paul --- Paul A. Bristow Prizet Farmhouse Kendal, UK LA8 8AB +44 1539 561830, mobile +44 7714330204 pbristow@hetp.u-net.com