[Ffmpeg-devel] Patch for dynamic liba52.so loading

[Diego Biurrun]

OK, now you are starting to make a lot more sense.  You began this
discussion with a rather incomplete argument..

On Sat, Jun 11, 2005 at 07:25:45PM +0200, M?ns Rullg?rd wrote:
> Diego Biurrun <diego at biurrun.de> writes:
> 
> > On Sat, Jun 11, 2005 at 06:06:25PM +0200, M?ns Rullg?rd wrote:
> >> 
> >> That's a good example.  Now consider this: an application (A) uses a
> >> GPL library (B), and, according to the FSF, is covered by the GPL.
> >> Suppose that there exists a compatible library (C), under a
> >> GPL-incompatible license.  By the same logic that made A a derivative
> >> of B, it will now also be a derivative of C.
> >
> > False.  The logic that makes A a derivative of B is the fact that A
> > _uses_ B, nothing else.
> 
> It will use whichever of B or C is found first by the dynamic linker.
> The decision is made each time A is executed.

But this has nothing to do with distribution.  The GPL does not restrict
usage in any form.

> > A need not comply with the license requirements of C, unless it uses C.
> > If it uses C it need not comply with the license requirements of B.
> 
> It can use B or C.  It's all up the dynamic linker on the machine
> where A is run.  Hence, distributing A does not bind the distributor
> to either of the licenses of B or C.

You are basing your musings on the OpenSSL thread on debian-legal,
right?  I skipped that one due to lack of time.  I haven't given the
issue too much thought yet, so I haven't completely made up my mind.

Diego