[sldev] [META] GPL'd APIs (Re: Protocol Documentation)

[Adam Frisby]

This might tickle some people the wrong way, but I just spotted 
something interesting.

MS have a Shared Source license called the "Reference License" which is 
explicitly for this kind of thing. Maybe Dual license GPL+RL?

Details:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/sharedsource/licensingbasics/referencelicense.mspx

Adam

Rob Lanphier wrote:

> On 10/3/07 3:18 PM, Argent Stonecutter wrote:
> 
>>There have been specific cases where independently developed
>>components that implemented the same API as a GPLed program have been
>>hit with legal action by the FSF, on the grounds that by
>>interoperating with an API that was part of a GPLed program they were
>>derived works and are thus covered by the GPL... even if there was no
>>GPLed code in them. There was no "huge amount of cutting and pasting"
>>involved... according to the FSF simply using an API documented in a
>>GPLed source makes your code covered by the GPL.
> 
> 
> Can you actually document this?
> 
> Rob
> 
> 
> 
> 
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