Subject: [clisp-list] gpl + foreign functions

From: Dave Morse <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 13:42:47 -0700

from COPYRIGHT file:
  This copyright does *not* cover user programs that run in CLISP, if
  they don't reference symbols in CLISP's built-in packages (except
  the packages LISP, USER, COMMON-LISP, COMMON-LISP-USER, KEYWORD),

So programs that use the FFI must be released under the GPL?  Thus it
follows that its illegal to produce a propritary program with a GUI using
CLISP?

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From: Sam Steingold <[email-masked]>
Date: 15 Aug 2001 17:12:54 -0400

> * In message <[email-masked]>
> * On the subject of "[clisp-list] gpl + foreign functions"
> * Sent on Wed, 15 Aug 2001 13:42:47 -0700
> * Honorable Dave Morse <[email-masked]> writes:
>
> from COPYRIGHT file:
> So programs that use the FFI must be released under the GPL?

I think so.
[you appear to be using a pre-2.26 release.  2.27 is current.]

> Thus it follows that its illegal to produce a propritary program with
> a GUI using CLISP?

you can use sockets to communicate to a web browser
(like the portable CLOCC/CLLIB/inspect.lisp does). 

-- 
Sam Steingold (http://www.podval.org/~sds)
Support Israel's right to defend herself! <http://www.i-charity.com/go/israel>
Read what the Arab leaders say to their people on <http://www.memri.org/>
Why use Windows, when there are Doors?

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From: David Morse <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 14:41:21 -0700

> > So programs that use the FFI must be released under the GPL?

Lets face it, FFIs are a standard non-standard feature.  In that sense,
clisp's FFI package belongs to the list of packages above.

my $2f-2 worth.

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From: Sam Steingold <[email-masked]>
Date: 15 Aug 2001 19:09:52 -0400

> * In message <[email-masked]>
> * On the subject of "Re: [clisp-list] gpl + foreign functions"
> * Sent on Wed, 15 Aug 2001 14:41:21 -0700
> * Honorable David Morse <[email-masked]> writes:
>
> Lets face it, FFIs are a standard non-standard feature.
but they are incompatible between the implementations, so the code
written for CLISP will not run under CMUCL and ACL and vice versa.

> In that sense, clisp's FFI package belongs to the list of packages above.
I will let Bruno make a decision on that.

-- 
Sam Steingold (http://www.podval.org/~sds)
Support Israel's right to defend herself! <http://www.i-charity.com/go/israel>
Read what the Arab leaders say to their people on <http://www.memri.org/>
Lisp: Serious empowerment.

---

From: Bruno Haible <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 19:04:58 +0200 (CEST)

> So programs that use the FFI must be released under the GPL?

Yes, definitely. By using the FFI you are linking together GPLed C
code with your additions. So you must put your additions under the GPL
if you want to distribute them.

> In that sense, clisp's FFI package belongs to the list of packages above.

There is no need to change the copyright wording. If you link some
pieces of C code with clisp, and use some Lisp code that accesses it
through the FFI, and want to distribute that, then you have to put
both under GPL because

  - The GPL exception does not apply to your C code because it is not
    code that "runs in CLISP". It is rather code that is linked with
    CLISP.

  - The GPL exception does not apply to your Lisp code because it
    makes use of the non-standard FFI package.

Bruno