Questions tagged [gpl-2]
For questions about GNU General Public License Version 2.
244 questions
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Can I use a header (include) file licensed as GPLv2 only in GPLv3 project?
To be brief, I am working on a big C project, which I want to license under GPLv3.
I need some compiler-specific attribute macros, and I found include/linux/compiler_attributes.h from Linux kernel ...
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3
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Is the byline part of the license?
I was recently attempting to contribute to a GPLv2+ project, where I created a new file. I set the copyright date to this year, and tried several options for the name, from my name, to "$PROJECT ...
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5
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Validity of exceptions in GPLv2 software combinations
Let's say library P is licensed under GPLv2 with the GCC Runtime Library Exception 2.0 or another similar exception like the Classpath Exception.
Proprietary software K uses library P. This is allowed ...
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7
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2
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If I distribute GPLv2-licensed software as a bundle that uses a virtual machine to run it, do I need to open-source the virtual machine too?
This is the Setup that will be distributed already packaged together:
An MIT licensed Virtual Machine with some modified code
A GPL-2.0 software binary with some modified code
I understand that the ...
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8
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3
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1k
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Retroactively specifying `-only` or `-or-later` for GPLv2 in an adopted project
I am a member of an upstream maintainer team that took over a project two years ago. The project itself is round about 15 years old. We are the third generation of maintainers, and we lack contact ...
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5
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Does a QGIS python script need to be licensed under GNU GPLv2+?
Given that QGIS is licensed under GNU GPLv2+, if you create a QGIS python script that would run in the QGIS Python console, such as the example in their docs, does the python script have to be ...
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9
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Has Apache or the FSF commented on whether LLVM's "Apache 2.0 License with LLVM exceptions" is compatible with GPL v2?
According to both the Apache Software Foundation (Apache) and Free Software Foundation (FSF), the Apache License 2.0 is not compatible with GNU General Public License 2.0.
Despite [Apache's] best ...
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4
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0
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86
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License conflicts in Blender shaders
The Blender source code contains the node codes under the GPL license for GLSL, and the exact same code in C++ in cycles for the Apache license. Can I port the Apache code to GLSL, and still use the ...
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4
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1
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160
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What is the point of dual licensing a library under BSD-3-Clause and GPL?
While reviewing our libraries I stumbled over the zstd implementation (https://github.com/facebook/zstd/blob/dev/README.md).
It (and some of its derivatives) is dual licenses under a BSD-3-Clause and ...
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2
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Is it legal to use GPL code in plugins of a proprietary app?
I know this question seems to be the nth of this sort, but I could not find a clear answer to my question.
I am working on a keyboard launcher app. Its license is a custom proprietary license. The ...
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Is Mtd-utils common library considered to be LGPL?
When you need to use the common library of mtd-utils in the embedded development process, but don't want to open source your own code, what can you do? Is this common library considered to be licensed ...
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3
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2
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629
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What is a Modification in GPL 2.0
Given that I want to extend the Covered Software through a bigger Project.
The following is an example where File A is part of the Covered Software and any subsequent files are not part of the ...
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3
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Can somebody other than the copyright holder enforce the GPL "inherited" by a project? Do they have to?
Let's consider a project A, with authors and copyright holders A1, A2, A3 etc, licensed under GPL v2.
Project B builds on project A (let's say they just outright import the source code of A and link ...
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3
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Could a license that allows later versions impose obligations or remove protections for licensors in the future?
If a project is licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later/MPL1.*, to what extent could the FSF/Mozilla releases a new version that imposes obligations or removes protections for licensors?
Some examples:
Could ...
3
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2
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Does GPLv2 allow to charge an unlimited amount as fee for copy transfer?
GPLv2 terms state the following (see below). But does this means to be able to charge an unlimited amount for copy transfer (it may be object code) and the limitation not to exceed distribution fees ...
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2
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1
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What does GPLv2 say about adding or removing source files?
GPLv2 requires, when redistributing modified version of the source code, to notify in the source files the date of change.
But what about removing source files? Is there any requirements of notifying ...
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5
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2
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What are the licence implications of including comments from code licensed under GPL v2 in my own code?
I have written a Java class Sequence that presents a similar interface to Stream, but with some changes. For convenience I copied the Javadoc comments from Stream, adapting them as necessary for my ...
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4
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Why it is not possible to create a proprietary fork of GPL?-or-later software?
Let's assume there is a project under GPL2-or-later license. My understanding
is that anyone can take the project and make a fork with GPL2-only additions.
They could also take the project and make a ...
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31
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4
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Am I legally required to provide a (GPL licensed) source code even after a project is abandoned?
I plan to develop an application using an easy to use GPLv2 licensed libraries. Once my app is complete I plan to distribute it free and open source complying with GPLv2 copyleft requirements. The ...
CommunityBot
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Under what conditions can Microsoft's Universal C Run-Time be linked GPLed programs?
In the past, and the practice still continues, programs covered by one of the GNU licenses, such as utilities from the GNU Project, have been ported to Microsoft Windows by linking to the MSVCRT.DLL ...
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2
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0
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110
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Can I use GPL 2+ (CKEditor v5) on a website with paid subscription?
I am creating a website on a platform - similar to WordPress - where the access to the website will be via paid subscription. I am selling to the end user a service. It is like I would replace ...
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Change copyright author after forking GPL v2 code? [duplicate]
Say I fork the source code here, modify the code, and finally distribute the source code and the derived work.
Can I change the copyright notice at the top from
# Copyright 1999-2022 Gentoo Authors
# ...
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10
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1
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Does reimplementing GPLv2 code in another language create a derivative work that also falls under the GPL?
I am now working with some ~2005 C CLI code, licensed as GPLv2-only. I hope to do the following things:
Port the code to a more recent environment (e.g. port to Ubuntu 22.04) (I only do this to try ...
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0
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0
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631
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Include MySQL Connector/J in a commercial product [duplicate]
There are a few questions about MySQL licensing already out there, but none of them have a definitive "yes" or "no" answer, so with the risk of being flagged as "duplicate&...
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0
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109
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If you use one file which has a GPL license, should all files get such a license?
I have some code of which I don't care that much about. That what I host online, has no license and as such should be in the public domain.
Some projects contain files with:
GNU Lesser General Public ...
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4
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2
answers
527
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How to embed a proprietary driver with Linux on a device?
We are a manufacturer of CNC controllers devices (computer numerical control): this is a special type of computer designed to control Mills, Lathes, etc. We would like to add a new range of devices ...
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2
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1
answer
141
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Using a library with triple-license from a private application
We are analyzing the possibility of using JRuby library for some maintenance tasks in a private closed-source application that we are selling to a customer.
According to the license information on ...
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GPL-2 licensing and commercial software (what rights has the licensee)?
I wanna use a GPL-2 software library which is distributed in two flavors: GPL-2 and a proprietary license. The proprietary license is very expensive though.
Currently, there are no real commercial ...
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7
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1
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Can I modify a GPLv2 licensed kernel module without having the rest of my software GPLv2?
The company that I work for, develops a Linux-based in-house distro, which powers some hardware-based equipment. The project that I am working on, has some proprietary kernel modules, and proprietary ...
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4
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1
answer
110
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Dockerization; licenses of dependencies MIT, GPLv2
I created a program with two dependencies DepA and DepB.
DepA is published under GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 2, June 1991 and is called as an external program
DepB is published under MIT ...
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4
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1
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2k
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GNU GPL license in libraries in python requirements [duplicate]
I have developed a python script that makes use of a package hosted in PyPI. My code basically imports this package and uses some of its functions, together with some more functionality I developed. ...
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1
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276
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Closed source project based on OpenVPN/OpenSSL
Using code base of OpenVPN (GNU GPLv2 license) in proprietary closed source project is under consideration.
OpenVPN uses OpenSSL (Apache License 2.0).
Changes in OpenSSL are needed only (OpenVPN will ...
2
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1
answer
70
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Should the artwork attributed to third-parties and the derivatives of it be assumed proprietary or GPL in GPL software?
I want to reuse with attribution (and publish) a raster graphics file from GPL software. At the moment, I consider reusing either the software icon file or the software logo file. The latter is a part ...
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3
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1
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378
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Best way to release a Nuitka-compiled software?
My question would be: If I wrote software in Python and compiled it with Nuitka and would like to publish it under either the GPL v2 or MIT license for others, should I also attach the original .py ...
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8
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2
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Does modified server code, used in public website development, which is originally available under GPL2 have to be released to the public?
To be precise, I am referring to MySql source code which is available under GPL2. I want to make certain modifications in the code which is actually for some custom requirement.
The modified MySql ...
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8
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1
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Incorporating GPL3 code into a GPL2 project
I have a GPL3-licensed program that supports a specific line of hardware. There is a GPL-2 program that supports a lot of hardware similar to the one I support. It was suggested to me that this other ...
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1
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1
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316
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License change for Derivative Works of Apache-licensed software, and GPLv2 compatibility
Section 4 of the Apache License v2.0 states:
You may add Your own copyright statement to Your modifications and may
provide additional or different license terms and conditions for use,
reproduction, ...
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3
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1
answer
547
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Can I create my own exception to the Apache license? Is it good practice?
The Apache License v2.0 is incompatible with GPLv2.
Instead of dual-licensing or using the LLVM Exceptions, I am thinking of defining an exception to the Apache license that is similar to what is ...
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2
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1
answer
172
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How to comply with GPL-2 when selling aggregate hardware with Linux?
Suppose I sell a robot, which contains Raspberry PI.
Or somebody sells a workstation, which contains a PC and Monitor and WiFi router, each running Linux inside.
Or a car workshop sells cars with ...
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2
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1
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Issues with contributing the same code to projects who only accept different licenses
I made some cool code that I want to contribute to both Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and other Linux distos, and perhaps even upstream at the Linux Kernel.
The problem is that AOSP says that ...
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302
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How can Apple distribute Bash (and other GPL v2 software) with macOS? Is it not a derivative work?
And how could they license Darwin as APSL if based on GPL v2 software?
See
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2
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GPLv2 - licensing for commercial use
I have a few questions regarding the GPLv2 license:
For it to be GPLv2, I need provide access to my source files?
If I use the v2 license, but charge for use, do users HAVE to purchase my license in ...
4
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1
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Bug in FFmpeg build allows GPL filter use from an LGPL build can I distribute FFMPEG as LGPL
I have build ffmpeg (4.3) libraries configured for LGPL on multiple OS's looking to be called from my own code using ffmpeg filters to deinterleave video.
below is the configure command.
./configure --...
3
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1
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266
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Complying with MySQL GPLv2
Consider the case of MySQL. This software is Dual-Licensed, of which, one license is GPLv2 the other is a somewhat costly enterprise license.
Given the following criterion, what are my obligations?
I ...
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1
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Why does GPLv2 include a mailing address (51 Franklin Street) in the license notice?
The last paragraph of the GPL v2 notice reads:
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 51 ...
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2
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570
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Tivoization and the GPLv2
I have seen several questions on this site regarding tivoization, and how the GPLv3 can prevent it. However, for my particular use case, the GPLv3 actually seems to be more permissive than the GPLv2.
...
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Using Linux Kernel Bits in a Apache License v2 software
On a project with an Apache License v2 I intent to include a (heavily) modified source file of the Linux kernel, the file in question is list.h. I am aware that the Linux Kernel is GPL v2 meaning that ...
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Can I convert an Apache 2.0 project to GPLv2
I found a project on GitHub that I really liked, and have since forked and modified it. It's currently licensed under Apache 2.0. Can I release my modified project as a project with a new name under ...
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Must a plugin for a GPLv2 work also be GPLv2?
I would like to develop an addon/extension plugin for an existing WordPress plugin, to add some premium features, but the base plugin's source-code is under GPLv2, which makes me doubtful...
Is any ...
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2
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0
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76
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Using Apache 2.0 libraries to test GPL 2 library
I'm making a library which is a derivative work of openjdk that's released under GPL 2.0 with Classpath Exception, so my library is obviously GPL 2.0+CE too. I'd like to write tests for my library ...
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