[kaffe] Re: Using kaffe(GPL2) with other DFSG-compat licenses

[Walter Landry]

Grzegorz Prokopski <gadek at debian.org> wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> I tried to google the aswer to my question, but it didn't work.
> So I'd like to ask you here.
> 
> Q: "Kaffe is free implementation of Java Virtual Machine and ClassLib
> which are both available under the terms of GPL2 license. How does
> this affect possibility of using kaffe as development and runtime
> platform for other non-GPL licensed programs and libs?"

First of all, I'm not a Java expert.  However, I believe that when you
compile a Java program, you pull in parts of the library interface.
That is, there are parts of Kaffe (for instance) within the compiled
Java program.  If those library interfaces are covered by the GPL,
then the entire GPL program must be covered by the GPL.  This is why
libgcj, for example, has a special exemption for creating works with
it.

As for the Apache licenses, they are, sadly, incompatible with the GPL.

Sorry,
Walter Landry
wlandry at ucsd.edu