Dubbi su MySQL e licenza GPL.

[Marco Bisetto]

Sono appena capitato, tramite LWN net, su un articolo che tocca
direttamente il problema delle licenze di MySQL:

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/4715

Pare che anche gente molto piu` esperta di noi, ritenga non del tutto
chiara l'interpretazione della licenza, gli argomenti sollevati sono
grossomodo gli stessi, e la soluzione anche, qualora ci sia l'utilizzo
della libreria GPL all'interno del client:

	[...]

	If the client and server communicate using the MySQL protocol,
	the client is no doubt written with the MySQL library that
	implements the protocol. (Who would reinvent the wheel just to
	save a few bucks?)  Under the GPL--although perhaps not the
	LGPL--the game client is an extension of MySQL and qualifies
	for the commercial license.)
	
	The length and heat of this late-night argument shows that
	open source licensing still has to shake out. But let's
	remember that proprietary licensing is an even deeper pit.
	
	There are clauses in most software licenses (such as
	prohibitions of reverse engineering) that are flat-out
	illegal. Many more clauses are so ambiguous that any guess
	about their interpretation by the courts would be as good as a
	coin flip. Many organizations probably pay a lot more in
	license fees than they'd have to pay if they took the time to
	examine the licenses with a fine-toothed comb and showed a
	willingness to go to court. And of course, we're still arguing
	over what's covered by fair use, what constitutes a trade
	secret, and whether the DMCA outlaws Web links to illegal
	code.
	
	So let's see if we can pull ahead of the pack in free
	software. Let's see whether the field can establish a system
	that's readily understandable, fair, and conducive to growth.
	
	[...]