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I've already gone through the following links and many more:

Using a tool under GPL v2 in a commercial application

Can I use GPL libraries in a closed source project if only the output is distributed?

GPLv2 - licensing for commercial use

https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0-faq.en.html#DoesFreeSoftwareMeanUsingTheGPL

But still need some clarification.

So I'm developing a commercial software that would require virtual com ports to work. I know there are many great paid tools like Elitma, but I stumbled upon com0com which is free. But it's licensed under GPL v2 [https://github.com/paulakg4/com0com/blob/master/license.txt].

I'm not modifying the com0com tool but using it as it is. (just using the CLI API, not even any DLL api, to create COM ports). I just need the virtual ports and have nothing else to do with the tool.

So here are my questions:

  • Can I bundle com0com installer along with my application and freely distribute it without having to share my source code ?? I can share the com0com source if required, but will I have to share MY application source code as well ?

  • If yes, is there any other way? Like not bundling the 3rd party installer with my application, but urging the user to download it from a website (maybe my own website) ?

  • If I'm developing an independent software that incidentally uses the 3rd party tool for some functionality, and not modifying the tool itself, will my work still fall under derivative work ?

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  • What is your juridiction or legal system? The Linux kernel is GPLv2 and used by a lot of commercial software (like Android). Is your client or boss informed? Did you spoke of that issue to your lawyer? May 12, 2020 at 19:48

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