< I'll reply to the .user post here because .devel is much faster ;-) > Jonathan Arnold wrote:
A little late to this license party, but I want to make sure I know what it means:
David Abrahams wrote:
Marleny Rafferty <marleny@rafferty.net> 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.
Nope. It is considered a compilation (mere aggregation if you like) and only if the "distribution package" of the application includes the boost stuff (which is the case with things like templates). I presume "black box" type of usage according to boost's functional specs, of course. (no copying of protected elements[1] from boost into "your" code) http://www.digital-law-online.com/lpdi1.0/treatise27.html (see VI.D.4. Derivative Works and Compilations)
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
So if we use boost in our program:
1] If we sell it as a compiled program, we can retain our own license
2] If we sell it to a customer who wants the source code too, we have to use the boost license, and thus the customer is free to give our source code away at that point?
Yes/Yes (lack of explicit distribution permission for derivative works aside for a moment). But only the portions that are truly derivative works of (in the sense of the copyright law) [and/or] original boost licensed work(s). IOW, all your non-derivative code is unconditionally[2] yours and you're free to distribute and license it on whatever terms you like (well, but you should better stick to lawful/enforceable terms, of course ;-) ). You might want to take a look at the CPL FAQ and perhaps also this: http://www.xfree86.org/pipermail/forum/2004-March/004248.html regards, alexander. [1] http://www.digital-law-online.com/lpdi1.0/treatise24.html [2] http://crynwr.com/cgi-bin/ezmlm-cgi?3:mss:7651