[Qt-interest] mysql, windows and odbc

[Sandro Cavazzoni]

Il 08/10/2009 08:13, Christopher Rasch-Olsen Raa ha scritto:
> On Thursday 08 October 2009 07:36:15 André Somers wrote:
>> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
>> Van: qt-interest-bounces at trolltech.com
>> [mailto:qt-interest-bounces at trolltech.com] Namens Sandro Cavazzoni
>> Verzonden: woensdag 7 oktober 2009 15:36
>> Aan: qt-interest at trolltech.com
>> Onderwerp: [Qt-interest] mysql, windows and odbc
>>
>>
>> I'm not using native MYSQL driver because, i suppose, compiling it in my
>> application i'll broke LGPL license (mysql is GPL). So i'm using the
>> integrated standard ODBC connection and i've installed MYSQL ODBC
>> CONNECTOR on my OS. In this way, i suppose, i don't broke any LGPL
>> license with my application (someone could confirm it?).
>>
>> This is not something to just "suppose" about. Look into this, because it
>> would be a much better solution to use MySql directly instead of going
>> through ODBC. AFAIK, you *are* allowed to use MySql in a GPL-ed
>>   application. Actually, you are allowed to link to MySql code even from a
>>   closed source application. You can not just embed code from MySql, but
>>   that is not what you are doing when you compile and link the database
>>   driver.
>
> Recently when consulting a FOSS-center here in Norway about this I got a
> pretty clear message back saying that this is indeed _not_ allowed. The
> message from them was that if I linked to a library / whatever that was under
> the GPL, then my application would have to be under the GPL (or one of the
> compatible licenses) and this sourcecode shared as well.

Ok.. this confirm many other documents i read about this argument..

> There is also something about what kind of license you have to have if your
> application is dependent on a GPL-based library or another GPL application,
> but I have yet to understand how that is supposed to work. I seem to remember
> Stallman saying something about how your application must be GPL if it is
> dependent on a GPL application to function properly. A viral license, or so it
> might seem.
>
> The advice from all the FOSS-people and lawyers I've talked to has been the
> same; stay clear of things GPL (LGPL is a bit better thankfully). This is (as
> far as I've understood it) because of the many things that are too open to
> interpretations.
>
> Keep in mind that IANAL and only try to pass on what the legal-guys have told
> me.
>

Ok. At the end, if i interpreted it correctely, if i use ODBC as 
database connector my application doesn't depend directly from any GPL 
application. It's a choose from end user if use it with MYSQL or MSSQL 
or another one.
About the rest of QT framework i suppose NOKIA considered it and, if 
they told me "it's an LGPL framework", i suppose all precompiled 
features respect the term of this license.

Is it right?