Re: [Hebmorph-thinktank] HebMorph patch

[Efraim F. <efr...@gm...>]

On 06/09/2011 10:27 PM, kirillkh wrote:
> Hi Efraim,This is not what I was asking about at all. Rather, my 
> question was: can I distribute closed-source software that requires 
> HebMorph for its functions (provided that I disclose HebMorph's 
> license and distribute its source code)? You seem to imply that the 
> answer to that question is a simple 'yes'. But that is not the case. 
> The issue here is that GPL not only requires distributing the source 
> code of the software together with the binaries, but it also requires 
> distributing the source code of any "derivative work" of the software, 
> where "derivative work" is defined as anything linking to the 
> software. Simply put, if your program uses HebMorph as a library, your 
> program must be GPL too. On the other hand, if your program just works 
> with Solr, then you are *not* linking to it directly and, as a result, 
> are not required to GPL your own program.
>
> Still, some questions remain:
> 1. Are you even allowed to distribute Lucene+HebMorph+(your 
> open-source software), considering Lucene is not GPL?

Itamar can probably speak more to this: As far as I can tell, there is a 
licensing compatibility issue here. Lucene is Apache 2 and Hebmorph is 
currently GPL2 *only*. GPL2 is incompatible with Apache 2, GPL3 is 
compatible <http://www.apache.org/licenses/GPL-compatibility.html>, 
making any distribution of binary linked software an issue because 
hebmorph won't work without being linked to Lucene. I doubt this was 
intended.

It may or may not be an issue if you distribute the source code and *no* 
binaries, depending on how you interpret section 2b.

> 2. ... rather, it links to a generic "Analyzer" API, which it provides 
> itself. Does this mean that a closed-source program is allowed use 
> Lucene+HebMorph?

Wouldn't Lucene then be linked to Hebmorph as a library, and your 
program linked to Lucene, making your program linked to Hebmorph?


-- 
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Efraim Feinstein
Lead Developer
Open Siddur Project
http://opensiddur.net
http://wiki.jewishliturgy.org