[geos-devel] Boost License compatibility

[Mateusz Loskot]

Greg Troxel wrote:
> Mateusz Loskot <mateusz at loskot.net> writes:
> 
>> The question is like this:
>>
>> Can I copy lines 10-30 from GEOS source file a.cpp to project X which
>> is licensed under the terms of Boost License?
> 
> If those lines are deemed to be non-trivial - and the rule of them is
> that 10 or more lines are definitely non-trivial - then no, because you
> have a derived work and can't distribute the LGPL code under the Boost
> License.  If you read one line and write something to do a similar
> algorithm but differently, almost certainly it's not a derived work and
> the licnense of the inspirational work doesn't matter.  The middle
> ground is hard and standard advice is not to skate near the edge of thin
> ice.

Yes, this is best recommendation.

>>> It's pretty clear the boost people would reject including LPGL code
>>> in boost, if that's what you are asking.
>> And this is something that is not clear or better, not obvious to me.
> 
> From reading their analysis of licenses, it seems clear to me that Boost
> wants to allow proprietary use of boost.  This is the same licensing
> goal as the BSDs, and it's different from the FSF goal.

Right, good point.

Thanks to all for help in understanding the issue!

Best regards,
-- 
Mateusz Loskot, http://mateusz.loskot.net
Charter Member of OSGeo, http://osgeo.org