Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 09:12:39 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <199709011312.JAA01551@delorie.com> From: DJ Delorie To: bennett AT btinternet DOT com CC: djgpp AT delorie DOT com In-reply-to: <01bcb63a$15e1a8c0$c93063c3@8652hvt73761> (bennett AT btinternet DOT com) Subject: Re: C++ copyright Precedence: bulk > "In case you're wondering, yes, you can write commercial games with DJGPP > and maintain your complete rights to the output, as long as you don't > include any Copylefted stuff, like the C++ library. The C library is free." > > Does this mean that you cannot write a commercial game in C++ ??! No, that's not what it means. Here are some infoblurbs about C++: It's a common misconception (according to Stallman) that "free" is the opposite of "commercial". You can write software that is both commercial and free, by simply providing sources to your commercial software. Such commercial software may freely use any GPL library. The GNU C++ library (libg++.a) is LGPL, meaning you must provide objects (not sources) for your application. The only parts of libg++ that is LGPL are the parts that are NOT defined by the ANSI C++ standard (i.e. the GNU extensions). Those parts of the C++ library that are NOT LGPL are duplicated in the libraries libstdc++.a and libiostream.a. You may use these two libraries freely in your software, without invoking the LGPL. If you do not wish to provide sources or objects for your applications, you must restrict yourself to libsdtc++.a or libiostream.a, and not use libg++.a.