[erlang-questions] GPL3 - EPL compatibility

[Richard Carlsson]

On 04/26/2011 06:40 PM, Roberto Majadas Lopez wrote:
> 2011/4/26 Jesse Gumm <sigmastar@REDACTED <mailto:sigmastar@REDACTED>>
>
>     You're free to release a program under any license you want.  The EPL
>     pertains to the Erlang language itself, not necessarily to programs
>     written in Erlang.

The Erlang language itself is not licensed - anyone can make their own 
implementation if they want. The standard BEAM interpreter from OTP is 
published under EPL, but generallly, code running under an interpreter 
is just considered to be input and is not affected by the licensing (see 
e.g. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#IfInterpreterIsGPL). 
Perhaps this is what Jesse meant. The standard library is another 
matter, however - see below.

>
> But if i use erlang crypto server or another one released under EPL .
> can this relationship be considered dynamic link ?

Yes, it can. See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-java.html - the 
situation is the same for Erlang. You can't use GPL (any version) in 
combination with the Erlang standard libraries since they are published 
only under the EPL. The LGPL (2 or 3) can however be used.

     /Richard