nanogui@linuxhacker.org

On Fri, 11 Aug 2000, Alex Holden wrote:

> > > application.  Also, wouldn't that mean that the entire Microwindows project
> > > would have to be placed under the GPL?
> > That I don't know. Is MPL compatible with GPL?
> 
> The problem is that if any part of the code is GPLed, all of it must be.
That's a common misconception. Look at the Linux kernel, it contains
many licenses. (Even though most of it is GPL.)
The issue is if the licenses are compatible.

> Which means that if any part of Microwindows was GPLed and you distributed
> a proprietory application which was linked into Microwindows, you would be
> forced to either relicense your application under the GPL or cease 
> distributing it. The MPL doesn't impose any such restrictions, which is
> why we chose it.

Well, I checked on gnu.org. MPL and GPL are incompatible. You can't mix
GPL and MPL in the same program. So, right now Microwindows seem to be in
a legal limbo...

See:
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html
for a an overview of licenses and of which are compatible with GPL.

Jakob