From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Edwin Robert Tisdale <E.Robert.Tisdale@jpl.nasa.gov>
To: gsl-discuss@sources.redhat.com
Subject: Re: GPL - GSL and derivative work.
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 13:20:00 -0000
Message-id: <3B8276DD.75B9C04F@jpl.nasa.gov>
X-SW-Source: 2001/msg00415.html

Mark Galassi wrote:

> On this list, I simply want to assure anyone that
> if your software can only work with GSL
> then your software is subject to the relevant parts of the GPL.

Nonsense!

The GPL applies only if you distribute your software
any only if you distribute the GPL'd library (GSL) with it.
You cannot copyright the GSL API.
Anybody can implement the GSL API.
The Free Software Foundation and the GNU project
exist, in part, because they have succeeded
in re-implementing existing APIs.
If it was possible to copyright an API,
there would be no FSF or GNU project.
The FSF would only undermine it's own right
to implement and distribute software using existing APIs
if it were to take other programmers to court
simply for using the GSL API.

Applying the GPL to a library like the GSL
is simply an attempt to stifle competition
in just the way that Microsoft attempts
to stifle competition.