Re: Debian readline/libedit breakage

On Wed, Feb 16 2011, Tom Lane wrote:

> Stephen Frost <sfrost(at)snowman(dot)net> writes:
>> * Tom Lane (tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us) wrote:
>>> In particular, getting rid of use of OpenSSL would not be sufficient
>>> to satisfy the most rabid GPL partisans that we were in compliance.
>
>> I've never heard anyone argue that position, don't believe anyone would,
>> and certainly don't agree with it.
>
> [ shrug ... ] Check the Postgres archives, from back around 2000 if
> memory serves.
>
> regards, tom lane

Or he could just read this essay from the FSF website:

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-not-lgpl.html

It basically tries to persuade developers to create GPLed libraries in
cases where the library provides services that are not available in
proprietary libraries. The idea is to *force* developers to use the GPL
if they want to use the library.

Here's a relevant quote that actually uses readline as an example:

However, when a library provides a significant unique
capability, like GNU Readline, that's a horse of a different
color. The Readline library implements input editing and
history for interactive programs, and that's a facility not
generally available elsewhere. Releasing it under the GPL and
limiting its use to free programs gives our community a real
boost. At least one application program is free software today
specifically because that was necessary for using Readline.

If we amass a collection of powerful GPL-covered libraries that
have no parallel available to proprietary software, they will
provide a range of useful modules to serve as building blocks in
new free programs. This will be a significant advantage for
further free software development, and some projects will decide
to make software free in order to use these libraries.
University projects can easily be influenced; nowadays, as
companies begin to consider making software free, even some
commercial projects can be influenced in this way.

IANAL, but it is hard to recommend relying on a reading of the GPL that
is inconsistent with the folks that wrote the license.

Jason