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[binutils/dougsmingw.git] / libiberty / copying-lib.texi

@node Library Copying
@appendixsec GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE

@cindex LGPL, Lesser General Public License
@center Version 2.1, February 1999

@display
Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
51 Franklin Street - Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA

Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.

[This is the first released version of the Lesser GPL.  It also counts
as the successor of the GNU Library Public License, version 2, hence the
version number 2.1.]
@end display

@appendixsubsec Preamble

  The licenses for most software are designed to take away your
freedom to share and change it.  By contrast, the GNU General Public
Licenses are intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change
free software---to make sure the software is free for all its users.

  This license, the Lesser General Public License, applies to some
specially designated software---typically libraries---of the Free
Software Foundation and other authors who decide to use it.  You can use
it too, but we suggest you first think carefully about whether this
license or the ordinary General Public License is the better strategy to
use in any particular case, based on the explanations below.

  When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom of use,
not price.  Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that
you have the freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge
for this service if you wish); that you receive source code or can get
it if you want it; that you can change the software and use pieces of it
in new free programs; and that you are informed that you can do these
things.

  To protect your rights, we need to make restrictions that forbid
distributors to deny you these rights or to ask you to surrender these
rights.  These restrictions translate to certain responsibilities for
you if you distribute copies of the library or if you modify it.

  For example, if you distribute copies of the library, whether gratis
or for a fee, you must give the recipients all the rights that we gave
you.  You must make sure that they, too, receive or can get the source
code.  If you link other code with the library, you must provide
complete object files to the recipients, so that they can relink them
with the library after making changes to the library and recompiling
it.  And you must show them these terms so they know their rights.

  We protect your rights with a two-step method: (1) we copyright the
library, and (2) we offer you this license, which gives you legal
permission to copy, distribute and/or modify the library.

  To protect each distributor, we want to make it very clear that
there is no warranty for the free library.  Also, if the library is
modified by someone else and passed on, the recipients should know
that what they have is not the original version, so that the original
author's reputation will not be affected by problems that might be
introduced by others.

  Finally, software patents pose a constant threat to the existence of
any free program.  We wish to make sure that a company cannot
effectively restrict the users of a free program by obtaining a
restrictive license from a patent holder.  Therefore, we insist that
any patent license obtained for a version of the library must be
consistent with the full freedom of use specified in this license.

  Most GNU software, including some libraries, is covered by the
ordinary GNU General Public License.  This license, the GNU Lesser
General Public License, applies to certain designated libraries, and
is quite different from the ordinary General Public License.  We use
this license for certain libraries in order to permit linking those
libraries into non-free programs.

  When a program is linked with a library, whether statically or using
a shared library, the combination of the two is legally speaking a
combined work, a derivative of the original library.  The ordinary
General Public License therefore permits such linking only if the
entire combination fits its criteria of freedom.  The Lesser General
Public License permits more lax criteria for linking other code with
the library.

  We call this license the @dfn{Lesser} General Public License because it
does @emph{Less} to protect the user's freedom than the ordinary General
Public License.  It also provides other free software developers Less
of an advantage over competing non-free programs.  These disadvantages
are the reason we use the ordinary General Public License for many
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  For example, on rare occasions, there may be a special need to
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  In other cases, permission to use a particular library in non-free
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operating system, as well as its variant, the GNU/Linux operating
system.

  Although the Lesser General Public License is Less protective of the
users' freedom, it does ensure that the user of a program that is
linked with the Library has the freedom and the wherewithal to run
that program using a modified version of the Library.

  The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution and
modification follow.  Pay close attention to the difference between a
``work based on the library'' and a ``work that uses the library''.  The
former contains code derived from the library, whereas the latter must
be combined with the library in order to run.

@iftex
@appendixsubsec TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION
@end iftex
@ifinfo
@center GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
@center TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING, DISTRIBUTION AND MODIFICATION
@end ifinfo

@enumerate 0
@item
This License Agreement applies to any software library or other program
which contains a notice placed by the copyright holder or other
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@enumerate a
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Accompany the work with the complete corresponding
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@enumerate a
@item
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The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new
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@iftex
@heading NO WARRANTY
@end iftex
@ifinfo
@center NO WARRANTY
@end ifinfo

@item
BECAUSE THE LIBRARY IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO
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IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN
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@end enumerate

@iftex
@heading END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
@end iftex
@ifinfo
@center END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
@end ifinfo

@page
@appendixsubsec How to Apply These Terms to Your New Libraries

  If you develop a new library, and you want it to be of the greatest
possible use to the public, we recommend making it free software that
everyone can redistribute and change.  You can do so by permitting
redistribution under these terms (or, alternatively, under the terms of the
ordinary General Public License).

  To apply these terms, attach the following notices to the library.  It is
safest to attach them to the start of each source file to most effectively
convey the exclusion of warranty; and each file should have at least the
``copyright'' line and a pointer to where the full notice is found.

@smallexample
@var{one line to give the library's name and an idea of what it does.}
Copyright (C) @var{year}  @var{name of author}

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or (at
your option) any later version.

This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
Lesser General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301,
USA.
@end smallexample

Also add information on how to contact you by electronic and paper mail.

You should also get your employer (if you work as a programmer) or your
school, if any, to sign a ``copyright disclaimer'' for the library, if
necessary.  Here is a sample; alter the names:

@smallexample
Yoyodyne, Inc., hereby disclaims all copyright interest in the library
`Frob' (a library for tweaking knobs) written by James Random Hacker.

@var{signature of Ty Coon}, 1 April 1990
Ty Coon, President of Vice
@end smallexample

That's all there is to it!