GPLFilter

March 16, 2009 10:19 AM

Software license filter: Using a GPL-licensed library with a questionably-licensed JNI binding layer. What implications does this have for Java code that links to the JNI layer?

I'm writing closed-source Java code as a research assistant in a university. So far, my code links only to GPLv2 w/classpath exception software, primarily the NetBeans RCP. A collaborator of mine has contributed a patch that requires the GLPK GNU library, which is licensed under GPLv3 (no classpath exception). The patch uses the GLPK Java Interface, which does not distribute source and does not list a license on the page or in the downloaded package.

The question: If I use the GLPK Java Interface, must I relicense my code under GPLv3 to be consistent with the GLPK's license?

(The technicalities of if I can do so are between the university lawyers and I, I suspect, and while I would love to open source this project, I'm not sure I have the ability to do so, and may need to investigate other closed-source solutions).

posted by Alterscape to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Best answer: Not sure if this will help, but the Java Interface page you linked to does in fact contain a link to the source code buried in the last paragraph, and there's a GPLv2 notice on the source files inside if you download and unpack it.
posted by sergent at 10:36 AM on March 16, 2009

Will this closed-source Java app be redistributed? If it's for internal use only, you are free to use the GPL code. Just don't give out any derivative works.
posted by zsazsa at 10:53 AM on March 16, 2009

Response by poster: sergent: oops, I completely missed that link. That does disambiguate the situation thoroughly.

zsazsa: My department does hope to distribute the software, so the licensing of the derivative code is important.

Thanks, all!
posted by Alterscape at 11:14 AM on March 16, 2009