[OT} GPL and new BSD license are compatible

[Chad Netzer]

On Tuesday 08 October 2002 05:33, Anton Vredegoor wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> how can I use a class or a function from a GLP'd module (cut-and-paste
> style) in a module with BSD or public domain style release?

Well, if you use a GPL function, directly in your code, you need to release 
your software as GPL (assuming you release it).  But you can also release 
your original code as BSD, or some other compatible license:

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#TOCGPLModuleLicense

Note, you cannot release the code that you didn't write, as BSD, only your 
own.

If the code is LGPL (rather than just GPL), then using the code as-is does 
not require you to release your code as GPL (but, you must make the LGPL part 
available, if you distribute the whole work).

If you want to reimplement the "algorithm", then find a book or other 
resource that discusses the algorithm (not code of the algorithm), and 
reimplment from first principles.  What is the algorithm in question?

If this is all for internal use (an in-house project, etc.) than the GPL 
doesn't really come in to play; except that it should be documented so that 
it doesn't accidentally get released later under improper terms of usage.

-- 

Chad Netzer
cnetzer at mail.arc.nasa.gov