[techtalk] GPL Questions

Stephan Zaniolo eaglefeather at mindspring.com
Thu Nov 11 10:50:09 EST 1999


	Ok, I'm not sure if this should be asked here or in issues....  I'm
working on a project that will consist of a database (IBM-DB2), and some
home-brewed Java 1.1 applets and servlet(s?).  I'm interested in licensing
these under the terms of the GPL, but I remember hearing somewhere that
Java is not a "free" language and therefore can't be licensed under the
GPL.  First, why is Java not a "free" language?  Can it be licensed under
the GPL?  I understand that the GPL has the "virus-like" quality that if
any part of a GPLed program is used in another program, it must also be
licensed under the GPL.  Is this a correct understanding ?  Will this cause
a problem since we're going to be using a commercial database (IBM's DB2)
with JDBC?  (i.e. Does it work in reverse as well?  Do we need to use a
GPLed database or go with a different license?)

	(Sorry, I'm a newbie at this legal stuff)

Thanks in advance,
Stephan


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