[Kaffe] can the classpath project be used with Kaffe.

[Godmar Back]

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> On the other hand, can you say that your Java program has none of the
> property that it "in whole or in part contains or is derived from the
> Program"? What exactly is "containment" in the modern world of dloading
> everything? The Java bytecode requires Kaffe to run; thus they are
> contained in each other, are they not? I think this is a fine point of
> law that would need to be argued in court. To make it truly foggy, what
> if the bytecode uses classes that are only distributed as part of Kaffe,
> or uses features that only the Kaffe VM implements? Then surely these
> programs are "derived from the Program", since in no other way could one
> conceive of writing them other than knowing Kaffe's interfaces?
> 
> In any case, I think I'm more inclined to your view, which is that
> proprietary software could probably be shipped with Kaffe's VM to run
> it. I agree that Transvirtual would have to sue to make it an issue.
> However, I don't think the GPL is clear on this point. I could not
> recommend to my employer that they use Kaffe as the VM that is shipped
> with a commercial product, without the employer retaining legal counsel
> to verify that the license was clean. I'm afraid that the lawyers are a
> lot more anal than we are :-(
> 

Many commercial products already ship with Linux whose kernel is GPLed.
I'm sure those companies checked with their lawyers.  The consensus seems 
to be that Linux's GPL does not contaminate the apps running on top of 
it; my contention is that running Java apps on top of Kaffe comprises 
the same scenario.

I do agree with what you and others pointed out, namely that the issue
may be in need of clarification when you look at the way .class files,
.jar files, JNI .so files and the VM itself work together.

	- Godmar