RE: Realtime/embedded project to help with employment.

[George Shapovalov <georges@its.caltech.edu>]

Robert C. Leif wrote:
> If one develops software that is specific for and based upon Linux, then
> one is obliged to use a GNU license. The GNU license does not permit one
Um, do you mean Linux - the kernel or Linux - the system composed of
multiple packets working together (a superset of distribution is a sence)?
Somehow your below comment makes me think of a second interpretation:

> to stop others from giving away or selling one's work. This requirement is
> more stringent than anything Microsoft requires of developers that use
> Microsoft tools. Monopoly status is not limited to capitalists and tends
> to be exploited wherever it exists.

In this case you are grossly incorrect. Few examples, such as winex,
Win4Lin, Star Office, Word Perfect, QT come to mind. Some of them even work
on dual-licensing - "Use our GPL library if you develop Free Software or
buy a commercial license (which allows building commercial rpoduct upon +
usually some support is bundled) from us and earn money.."

You only have to be careful about what do you link against, and even there
LGPL stuff is fine, just as ACT's GMGPL is. You can even improve LGPL
library, if you wish to have something in it and this is only that library
that has to be open. Your app linking against it is fine..

Sure, it is not easy to plug into the kernel, but how often creator of
high-level app wants to do so (glibc, with which you interact most of the
time is LGPL, the kernel itself is the one which is GPL). Still even there
people find they way around (NVidia binary drivers).

George