Use of LPGL in commercial apps

Question

Hi,

I want to use the CSV library provided by filehelpers: http://filehelpers.sourceforge.net/

I will be making my own bulk CSV import/export library specific to my app which utilizes these classes.

Now Filehelpers states it can be used with commercial applications, however if I myself am building on filehelpers to build an import/export libary, am I still allowed to keep my code private, even though the functionality is quite specific to my app? Does it make any difference that I am building on the functionality rather than just linking to it?

Answer 1

I think you're probably fine with the LGPL, but if you have any doubts then there's always Sébastien Lorion's CSV Reader library, which is released under the less restrictive MIT license.

Answer 2

If you're modifying the source of the FileHelpers library to make a new library then you have to make the source code of your version of the library available.

If you're writing a second library which makes calls to an unchanged version of the FileHelpers library then you don't need to make your source available.

There is a question of the GPL FAQ about this.

Answer 3

That's the main point of LGPL - unless you make changes to the library that comes under LGPL but only link with an unchanged library you can redistribute your application under any license. If you change the library licensed and want to redistribute it you must also publish its sources under LGPL but you can still distribute your application under any license.