Re: License and copyright in generated code from wsdl2h in gsoap package (original) (raw)

Khalid Aziz wrote:

So the generated code not only automatically gets placed under GPL, it also gets its copyright assigned to someone else.

In many jurisdictions, an assignment of copyright requires a piece of paper signed by the copyright holder (and usually by the recipient as well). The piece of paper can often be replaced by a digitally signed electronic document, but I do not believe for one second that such an automatically generated notice qualifies as an assignment document.

I don't know this tool at all. Does it only transform your input into code, or is some code written by this Robert van Engelen also inserted? For example, startup code or some standard library?

If there's code by Van Engelen, he can set whateverlicense he wants on this code. If that license is GPL, that means any combination of that code with your work can only be distributed under the GPL as well.

This is indeed similar to gcc, which adds code from libgcc (or libstdc++) to your program. But gcc has an exception that permits you to use whatever license you want to the output. http://www.mingw.org/MinGWiki/index.php/SharedLibgccLegal

Arnoud

-- Arnoud Engelfriet, Dutch & European patent attorney - Speaking only for myself Patents, copyright and IPR explained for techies: http://www.iusmentis.com/ Arnoud blogt nu ook: http://blog.iusmentis.com/

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