[Qgis-developer] import proprietary code inside a python plugin

[G. Allegri]

Through the various considerations on this topic there are two positions
the seems contradictory to me:

"I did some research on this, and the conclusion is that import is
functionally and legally equivalent to linking during compilation, so
everything that imports qgis must be GPL." [1]

then

"you can import/link proprietary code into gpl code, provided you have a
license to do it."

They probably mean different things and they're not in contradiction. Being
an important point to me, could you help in understanding it?

thanks a lot,
Giovanni


[1] http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/018976.html
[2] http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-developer/2012-March/019000.html

2012/3/26 G. Allegri <giohappy at gmail.com>

> I think you're right but watch the reality from a worldwide point of view.
> I work mostly with foreign countries, not EU/USA. National offices and
> agencies budgets are far beyond the license fees, so they don't care for it
> very much. They pay yearly for something that already do the work they
> need, without having to do contracts for development, define requirements,
> etc.
> This is the reality. In my courses, even those based on ESRI software, I
> always introduce FOSS solutions. Sometimes it raises interest, most of
> times they don't care. They want the job done, and they don't pay for the
> license. That's it.
>
> Anyway, if I wouldn't think that (most) of times a free solution could be
> the best way, I wouldn't be here to talk about it ;)
>
> giovanni
>
>
>
> 2012/3/26 Sandro Santilli <strk at keybit.net>
>
>> On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 03:31:53PM +0200, G. Allegri wrote:
>>
>> > I totally agree with you, but reality is a bit different. Many agencies,
>> > corporates, etc. are not considering to leave they're infrastructure.
>>
>> It's their choice, they'll have to bear the consequences of that.
>>
>> > I suggest solutions to interoperate, not to switch the whole thing.
>>
>> What I'm saying is that it just costs more. And rightly so.
>> It is no interest of the free software users to make it any cheaper, IMHO.
>>
>> > It would be easier, and a lot cheeper, if everybody talked one language.
>>
>> +1
>>
>> > But we have hundreads of languages in the world, and we have to deal
>> with
>> > this.
>>
>> People grow up learning the language of their mothers.
>> Nobody has to pay a license to _use_ that language.
>> And anyone can learn.
>> We're really not talking about the same thing.
>>
>> --strk;
>>
>
>
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