Fwd: License question

> From: Paolo Bonzini <[hidden email]>
> Date: October 12, 2010 10:37:35 AM GMT+02:00
> To: "Fitzell, Julian" <[hidden email]>
> Cc: [hidden email], [hidden email], [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Pharo-project] License question
>
> On 10/12/2010 10:00 AM, Fitzell, Julian wrote:
>> Are you sure? I've heard opinions expressed that looking at a library
>> and copying the API might constitute a derivative work.
>
> It's tricky terrain, but the FSF itself did it multiple times with its "provide a free replacement for a non-free package" policy.  It's one of the few areas in which you'll hear me saying their evaluation criteria is biased ("if you use this to make a free derivative it's fine, if you use this to make a non-copyleft derivative it's not").
>
> However, in this case it doesn't apply.  What I suggested is to copy the API of an existing non-copyleft package (Didier Besset's numerical methods) and use it in the GPL'd bindings that BSchwab (I think) wrote for GSL.
>
> Paolo