Re: RPG 'CPAN' site

[boldt@xxxxxxxxxx]

John wrote:
>Doesn't the use of GPL significantly limit the number of AS/400 shops that
>can use it?  I know it's a showstopper for me. And if I can't use it
myself,
>I can't see why I'd bother to contribute code to it.

There are a number of "open-Source" licenses, each with
different terms and conditions designed to meet different
situations.  For example, GPL was designed to encourage
the development and sharing of open-source code.  But it
is indeed restrictive.  If you use GPL code in your
product, your product must also be licensed under the
GPL.

On the other hand, there's a less restrictive form of the
GPL called LGPL.  Under the LGPL, commercial products can
link to LGPL code without affecting the license of the
product.

For example, in the iSeries world, if you developed an
open-source library of useful procedures and packaged it
into a service program, GPL would require linking
products to be GPL.  But LGPL would allow use of the
service program by anyone, regardless of the license of
the product.

Mind you, I am not a lawyer.  You'd have to consult with
experts to check on some of the finer points of GPL and
LGPL.

Cheers!  Hans

Hans Boldt, ILE RPG Development, IBM Toronto Lab, boldt@ca.ibm.com