Miscellaneous > The Lounge

Can MS legally use LGPL'd stuff?

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anphanax:


"5. A program that contains no derivative of any portion of the Library, but is designed to work with the Library by being compiled or linked with it, is called a "work that uses the Library". Such a work, in isolation, is not a derivative work of the Library, and therefore falls outside the scope of this License."

I don't see MS warming up to the LGPL, or "open source" period, but couldn't they do something like this:

A DLL based off a LGPL project, accompanied with an EXE that uses it. Seems to me that there would be isolation there (the EXE doesn't actually contain any of the LGPL code).

And yes, I noticed this:

"For example, if you distribute copies of the library, whether gratis or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that we gave you. You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source code. If you link other code with the library, you must provide complete object files to the recipients, so that they can relink them with the library after making changes to the library and recompiling it. And you must show them these terms so they know their rights."

Just wondering :\

I can't think of a reason why they couldn't.

worker201:
From a purely legal standpoint, I guess they could.  But everybody and their mother would be all over them like a rash if there was even a hint of impropriety.  I don't think Microsoft really wants that kind of attention.  Because they would have to open their source to prove that any allegations were untrue.  This would allow people to investigate and perhaps sneer at (or copy) their precious source - which still probably has bits of WordPerfect, Windows 3.1, and Altair Basic in it.

Orethrius:

--- Quote from: worker201 ---From a purely legal standpoint, I guess they could. But everybody and their mother would be all over them like a rash if there was even a hint of impropriety. I don't think Microsoft really wants that kind of attention. Because they would have to open their source to prove that any allegations were untrue. This would allow people to investigate and perhaps sneer at (or copy) their precious source - which still probably has bits of WordPerfect, Windows 3.1, and Altair Basic in it.
--- End quote ---

Don't forget Mosaic.

Aloone_Jonez:
Can MS legally use LGPL'd stuff?
Yes, of course they can as long as they obide by the the terms of the LGPL.

Orethrius:

--- Quote from: Aloone_Jonez ---Can MS legally use LGPL'd stuff?
Yes, of course they can as long as they obide by the the terms of the LGPL.
--- End quote ---

The problem exists in proving their blackboxed code is in violation of the licence.
This is the same reason why Microsoft is still in business, and why SCO hasn't imploded yet.

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