licensing - Do I need to offer an iPhone app under GPL if the webserver software is licensed under the terms of the GPL? -

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i'm write iphone / android app have nice gui on mobile devices open source project web software html frontend. server licensed under terms of gpl 2.

there json api implement in server code. release api on server side under gpl 2 too.

but whats mobile app? think new product. uses api of open source project. standalone app isn't it? can choose properitary license app , let users pay it, right?

thanks!

short answer: no.

longer answer: simple use of application not make product of application gpl.gpl says:

the output running covered work covered license if output, given content, constitutes covered work.

what means website (output running covered work) running on gpl server gpl if website gpl other reasons.

so website/web service , json api need not gpl. but.. since website uses gpl covered json api must released under gpl. unless.. can contact author of json api (yourself) give permission use library under non gpl license (in case, json api dual-licensed). in case.. can have website/web service properitary.

this not considering mobile app. website need not gpl. there no necessity mobile app gpl. unless.. happen use gpl covered library in developing mobile app. or.. mobile app downloads , executes javascript file gpl licensed.

gpl not cover simple processing of gpl covered material. example can freely use non gpl compiler compile gpl code, gpl allows this. same mobile app downloading gpl covered data gpl covered web service.

notice again here gpl not cover json data website generates if declare website gpl. in order json data gpl need specify explicitly users of website/web service or have json data include copyright notice:

{   "copyright" : "this data copyright of krymel , licensed under gnu general public license specified @ http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html",   "data" : "real data here" }

so, mobile app isn't consuming gpl data. , if did, wouldn't force app have gpl license.

in case of app downloading , executing gpl covered script. gpl covers other script have runs in same environment gpl script. script interpreter need not gpl. unless of course if interpreting script requires interpreter load script in same memory space interpreter. in case of javascript not true.

the summary of is: use of gpl covered product not require adopt gpl. including gpl code in own code requires use gpl.

then again, no lawyer.


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