[LLVMdev] GPL licensing issues or can GCC be used with llvm for a commercial application?

[Joachim Durchholz]

Am Mittwoch, den 14.05.2008, 11:27 +0400 schrieb Anton Korobeynikov:
> Hello, Razvan
> 
> > after that I use only the Windows interface to it (like any other 
> > proprietary Windows software does) , GPL forbids me to do that.
> That's due to nature of the interface. Binary interface to codec make
> the proprietary application 'derived work'.

This is what the FSF would like the world to believe.

If you distribute the GPLed library and the proprietary application
separately, and make sure that they are linked at installation time, the
link step creates a derived work indeed but that's inconsequential
because it isn't redistributed.
IANAL etc., and there are issues regarding the use of interface files
(.h files etc.) from proprietary code, but it should hold up well
enough.

(Not that I don't like the intentions of the FSF. I just don't think
their legal strategy will hold up in the long run.)

> I'd suggest consult a good lawyer instead, without even trying to
> interpret anything by yourself.

I'd suggest doing both.
The interpretation may be wrong, but it might help get the lawyer
thinking outside preestablished boundaries. That would be crucial if
these boundaries originated e.g. in what the FSF has published.

Regards,
Jo