GStreamer license question

Hello,

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place for my question, but here goes

Is it acceptable to distribute GStreamer under GPL v3 ?

Since the library is released under LGPL 2, the LGPL license

allows for a distribution under GPL 2+.

I just want to double check that this is fine.

Thanks,

Aaron

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[Sebastian Dröge-3]

On Mi, 2016-03-30 at 07:56 -0400, Aaron Boxer wrote:

> Hello,
> I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place for my question, but
> here goes
>
> Is it acceptable to distribute GStreamer under GPL v3 ?
>
> Since the library is released under LGPL 2, the LGPL license
> allows for a distribution under GPL 2+. 
>
> I just want to double check that this is fine.

GStreamer itself and all its dependencies are LGPL version 2 (or at
your option) any later version. So that covers the GPL 2 and also the
GPL 3.

All the plugins we distribute are also at GPL compatible (including
their dependencies) and I'm not aware of any GPL 2 only one, but they
might not be LGPL compatible (that is, they might be GPL licensed). For
3rd party plugins you'll have to check yourself.


So in general, distributing under the GPL v3 should be no problem. The
LGPL is basically a weaker version of the GPL that additionally allows
linking of non-GPL compatible code with the GStreamer library (i.e. you
can build a proprietary application on top of GStreamer).

--
Sebastian Dröge, Centricular Ltd · http://www.centricular.com


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[Sebastian Dröge-3]

On Mi, 2016-03-30 at 15:11 +0300, Sebastian Dröge wrote:
>
> but might not be LGPL compatible (that is, they might be GPL licensed)

Wrong wording. They are compatible of course, but the resulting
combined work would be under the conditions of the GPL and not the
LGPL.

--
Sebastian Dröge, Centricular Ltd · http://www.centricular.com

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On Wed, Mar 30, 2016 at 8:11 AM, Sebastian Dröge <[hidden email]> wrote:

On Mi, 2016-03-30 at 07:56 -0400, Aaron Boxer wrote:
> Hello,
> I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place for my question, but
> here goes
>
> Is it acceptable to distribute GStreamer under GPL v3 ?
>
> Since the library is released under LGPL 2, the LGPL license
> allows for a distribution under GPL 2+. 
>
> I just want to double check that this is fine.

GStreamer itself and all its dependencies are LGPL version 2 (or at
your option) any later version. So that covers the GPL 2 and also the
GPL 3.

All the plugins we distribute are also at GPL compatible (including
their dependencies) and I'm not aware of any GPL 2 only one, but they
might not be LGPL compatible (that is, they might be GPL licensed). For
3rd party plugins you'll have to check yourself.


So in general, distributing under the GPL v3 should be no problem. The
LGPL is basically a weaker version of the GPL that additionally allows
linking of non-GPL compatible code with the GStreamer library (i.e. you
can build a proprietary application on top of GStreamer).

Perfect. Thanks!

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[Russel Winder]

Remember thought that what has been said here is not a legal opinion, it is
the working interpretation of software developers who have some experience
of the law. Two important points:

1. Jurisdiction is critical: what is legal in one jurisdication may be
illegal in another: you have to know which jurisdiction is applicable.

2. If you need a legal opinion, get a lawyer to give you an official opinion
for the jursdictions that are important to you.

(I have been through all of this a few times now, and getting a formal legal
opinion in each of the cases, whilst (very, very) expensive, was worth every
penny.)

On Wed, 2016-03-30 at 08:18 -0400, Aaron Boxer wrote:

> On Wed, Mar 30, 2016 at 8:11 AM, Sebastian Dröge <[hidden email]
> m>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > On Mi, 2016-03-30 at 07:56 -0400, Aaron Boxer wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello,
> > > I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place for my question, but
> > > here goes
> > >
> > > Is it acceptable to distribute GStreamer under GPL v3 ?
> > >
> > > Since the library is released under LGPL 2, the LGPL license
> > > allows for a distribution under GPL 2+.
> > >
> > > I just want to double check that this is fine.
> > GStreamer itself and all its dependencies are LGPL version 2 (or at
> > your option) any later version. So that covers the GPL 2 and also the
> > GPL 3.
> >
> > All the plugins we distribute are also at GPL compatible (including
> > their dependencies) and I'm not aware of any GPL 2 only one, but they
> > might not be LGPL compatible (that is, they might be GPL licensed). For
> > 3rd party plugins you'll have to check yourself.
> >
> >
> > So in general, distributing under the GPL v3 should be no problem. The
> > LGPL is basically a weaker version of the GPL that additionally allows
> > linking of non-GPL compatible code with the GStreamer library (i.e. you
> > can build a proprietary application on top of GStreamer).
> >
> Perfect. Thanks!
> _______________________________________________
> gstreamer-devel mailing list
> [hidden email]
> https://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/gstreamer-devel

--

Russel.
=============================================================================
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[hidden email]
41 Buckmaster Road   m:[phone]   xmpp:[hidden email]
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[Nicolas Dufresne-4]

Le mercredi 30 mars 2016 à 13:30 +0100, Russel Winder a écrit :

> Remember thought that what has been said here is not a legal opinion,
> it is
> the working interpretation of software developers who have some
> experience
> of the law. Two important points:
>
> 1. Jurisdiction is critical: what is legal in one jurisdication may
> be
> illegal in another: you have to know which jurisdiction is
> applicable.
>
> 2. If you need a legal opinion, get a lawyer to give you an official
> opinion
> for the jursdictions that are important to you.
>
> (I have been through all of this a few times now, and getting a
> formal legal
> opinion in each of the cases, whilst (very, very) expensive, was
> worth every
> penny.)

Though, we invite users not to be scared. This non-legal opinion was
formulated by GStreamer's main contributor. Only authors may take legal
action against someone miss-distributing this software. If we, by
accident miss-guided you, we will certainly help you fix it, rather
then harm you in the first place.

cheers,
Nicolas
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[Sebastian Dröge-3]

On Mi, 2016-03-30 at 08:46 -0400, Nicolas Dufresne wrote:
> Le mercredi 30 mars 2016 à 13:30 +0100, Russel Winder a écrit :
> >
> Though, we invite users not to be scared. This non-legal opinion was
> formulated by GStreamer's main contributor. Only authors may take legal
> action against someone miss-distributing this software. If we, by
> accident miss-guided you, we will certainly help you fix it, rather
> then harm you in the first place.

Also in this case it is the opinion of the FSF who designed these
licenses, and one of the design goals of the GPL/LGPL (both being
upwards compatible if all code involved says "or any later version",
and both being compatible with each other by making the combined work
GPL). It's a quite clear case for once.

--
Sebastian Dröge, Centricular Ltd · http://www.centricular.com


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On Wed, Mar 30, 2016 at 9:06 AM, Sebastian Dröge <[hidden email]> wrote:

On Mi, 2016-03-30 at 08:46 -0400, Nicolas Dufresne wrote:
> Le mercredi 30 mars 2016 à 13:30 +0100, Russel Winder a écrit :
> >
> Though, we invite users not to be scared. This non-legal opinion was
> formulated by GStreamer's main contributor. Only authors may take legal
> action against someone miss-distributing this software. If we, by
> accident miss-guided you, we will certainly help you fix it, rather
> then harm you in the first place.

Also in this case it is the opinion of the FSF who designed these
licenses, and one of the design goals of the GPL/LGPL (both being
upwards compatible if all code involved says "or any later version",
and both being compatible with each other by making the combined work
GPL). It's a quite clear case for once.

Thanks, I agree, it is clear.

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