[Qgis-psc] Questions about QGIS API licensing for a company internal use only

[Jürgen E. Fischer]

On Thu, 09. Dec 2021 at 09:40:24 +1000, Nyall Dawson wrote:
> On Thu, 9 Dec 2021 at 06:25, Rafael Abrantes Machado <rafael.a.machado at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I would like to make sure if we could use QGIS C++ API in our software,
> > which is not (and cannot be) GPLv2, but it is for internal use only (will
> > never be distributed).

> > I read a lot about licensing and it seems to me that this would be an
> > acceptable scenario but I thought it would be better to check with a formal
> > QGIS channel.
 
> No, this is NOT a legal use of the QGIS libraries. Regardless of how you use
> or distribute your software it must still use a GPLv2 or later compatible
> licence.

Why?  A license defines what the receiver of a work is allowed to do with it.
If a work is not given away, there's no need for a license.

The GPL doesn't restrict use, but redistribution and that apparently not taking
place in this case.

I don't see why using the API should be different from any other use of QGIS.


Jürgen

-- 
Jürgen E. Fischer           norBIT GmbH             Tel. +49-4931-918175-31
Dipl.-Inf. (FH)             Rheinstraße 13          Fax. +49-4931-918175-50
Software Engineer           D-26506 Norden            https://www.norbit.de
QGIS release manager (PSC)  Germany                 IRC: jef on Libera|OFTC
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