[geos-devel] GEOS License and iOS usage

[Greg Troxel]

Stefan Klug <klug.stefan at gmx.de> writes:

> I'd like to include libspatialite
> (https://www.gaia-gis.it/fossil/libspatialite/index ) in a proprietary
> iPhone App. libspatialite depends on GEOS which is licensed under
> LGPL.

Do you mean

   create a proprietary iPhone app and distribute it outside of the app
   store?

or

  create a proprietary iPhone app and distribute it in the app store.

Your note was unclear, and it's a big difference.


> As far as I know, it is possible to use LGPLed software on iOS if the
> object files for custom relinking are provided. There are still
> problems in using LGPLed software on iOS listed in
> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/459833/which-open-source-licenses-are-compatible-with-the-iphone-and-app-store
> specifically the need for a free iOS SDK which obviously isn't available.

Do the app store terms permit a user to relink an application they have
obtained?  It seems fairly clear that they do not (in practice anwyay),
and that would make their terms and the LPGL incompatible.

> I know this is a difficult question, but it would be a pity, not being
> able to use geos on mobile devices because of these constraints.

The other view is that it's sad that much free software cannot be used
on Apple devices because of Apple's constraints.  I suggest you ask them
to change, rather than asking for change from people who have chosen a
license intended to preserve the software freedom of users.  (And this
is about Apple restrictions, not about "mobile"; please don't conflate
those two things.)

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