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I have a customer uploading data to our embedded device. This data is compressed using LZO compression.

I know there is GPL code available, and correct me if I'm wrong, but using that would require us to GPL all the application software in our embedded device.

I have found an explanation of what the decompressor does here and it seems (fairly) simple.

So can I just write my own LZO decompressor routine without getting swept up in the LZO GPL license?

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    I agree with Bart's answer below. But there are also other options. You could use an existing LZO decompression utility that has a command line interface, for example this (and there are more which might better fit your requirements). Using a tool through the command line interface does not trigger the strong-copyleft implications of a GPL-licensed library or app.
    – Martin_in_AUT
    Mar 3 at 12:13
  • Ah yes, I had read something along those lines. lzop is available to me so I'll investigate that as the best solution. Many thanks.
    – MPFJ
    Mar 3 at 13:03

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So can I just write my own LZO decompressor routine without getting swept up in the LZO GPL license ?

If you base your implementation on a textual or mathematical description of the algorithm, and nowhere in the process do you read the source code of a GPL-licensed implementation, then it is certainly possible to write your own implementation without being bound to the GPL license.

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