[development] Modules that integrate non-GPL PHP apps violate the GPL.

[Thomas Barregren]

David Strauss wrote:
> David Strauss wrote:
>   
>> I'm not sure that's a problem. The GPL only affects redistribution, not
>> what a person does on his or her own computer. Just ensure the forbidden
>> integration isn't distributed. (If I'm wrong here, I'd like to know.)
>>     
>
> The reason I think this is the case is because the GPL code is not
> distributed with the non-GPL code.
>
> It's OK to distribute a C++ program that uses STL, even though there are
> proprietary STL implementations. It's also OK for me to compile GPL code
> against a proprietary STL implementation, as long as I don't
> redistribute the binary.
>
> The only distinction left is that some Drupal modules can *only* link to
> non-GPL code, but that seems to be a dubious place to draw the line. If
> we draw the line there, applications using Cocoa break the GPL.
> Applications using parts of the Windows API absent from Wine break the GPL.
>   

Applications depending on Cocoa or Windows API *do not* violate GPL.
Paragraph 3 in GPL v2 (which is used by Drupal) clearly and loudly states:

> However, as a
> special exception, the source code distributed need not include
> anything that is normally distributed (in either source or binary
> form) with the major components (compiler, kernel, and so on) of the
> operating system on which the executable runs, unless that component
> itself accompanies the executable.

RTFL ;-)

Regards,
Thomas