[Haskell-cafe] GPL License of H-Matrix and prelude numeric

malcolm.wallace malcolm.wallace at me.com
Wed Jan 26 18:51:43 CET 2011


> Installing executable(s) in /home/ketil/.cabal/bin
> Executable 'foo' incorporates components with the following licenses:
> GPL BSD3 LGPL
> Executable 'bar' ...

Furthermore, the example above could be greatly shortened by just saying
"GPL". Complying with the terms of the GPL automatically implies
complying with the terms of both the BSD3 and LGPL licenses.
 

IANAL, but I think this statement is factually incorrect, on a plain reading of the BSD licence itself.

If you distribute an artifact that contains BSD-licensed code, you cannot simply delete or ignore the BSD licence on the grounds that it is subsumed into the terms of some other licence.  BSD states quite clearly: "redistributions ... must reproduce ... this list of conditions".  If you fail to do so, then you are breaking the terms of the licence, and since nothing else gives you permission to redistribute source or binary, you could technically be sued by the copyright holder.

BSD is just as "viral" as the GPL.  Its terms may be less onerous, but they still apply.

Regards,
    Malcolm
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