[Haskell-cafe] Cabal && license combinations

[Ketil Malde]

Vivian McPhail <haskell.vivian.mcphail at gmail.com> writes:

> Looking specifically at hmatrix, there are three kinds of modules
>
>    i) bindings to GSL            GPL
>    ii) bindings to LAPACK     BSD
>    iii) pure Haskell                hmatrix author's choice
>
> 1) Am I correct in thinking that even the bindings modules (the Haskell
> parts, not the C files) can be under any licence, FOO, chosen by the author,
> but the binary _linked_ to, say, GSL has to comply with FOO and GPL?

This is my interpretation of it (assuming we're talking copyright, and
not other types of license, like patents or trademarks).  It is a topic
of endless debate, though.

> 2) If someone uses hmatrix but no GSL functions (hence there are no GSL
> functions in the linked binary) can they get away with not complying with
> the GSL requirement?

I would say yes.  But that too is merely an uninformed and uneducated
opinion, the operational semantics of the law is created by the rich in
their courtrooms.

-k
-- 
If I haven't seen further, it is by standing in the footprints of giants