Re: [Jython-dev] Jython license and GPL incompatibility

[<bc...@wo...>]

[Ben Burton]

>One thing I should mention though is that there may be issues with readline 
>support (org.python.utils.ReadlineConsole) - Bablok's wrappers are LGPL but 
>they link with GNU libreadline which is GPL.  Thus (according to my 
>understanding which could be wrong), this would require jython - if built 
>with ReadlineConsole - to be GPL-compatible.

Perhaps, but that is not my understanding.

- ReadlineConsole is neither GPL or LGPL
- There is no LGPL or GPL code in the jython distribution.
- Jython only links with the readline (L)GPL code when option 
     python.console=org.python.util.ReadlineConsole
  is enabled.

So in the distributed form, jython doesn't links with any (L)GPL code.
If anyone installs bablok's Readline class and libreadline and changes
the python.console option they are creating a derivative work which they
do not have the right to distribute.

>Sorry, not trying to nitpick here but in packaging jython up for Debian one 
>must take care to ensure that everything is legal. :)

Absolutely.

I have somehow considered ReadlineConsole to be similar to CPython-2.0's
readline.c file. In itself readline.c did not require CPython to be GPL
compatible.

OTOH I'm all ears for input from the authors of the readline software or
from the FSF lawyers. If there is a real problem with including the
ReadlineConsole, I can easily rip it out.

regards,
finn