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Subject: Re: [boost] boost.math
From: Paul A. Bristow (pbristow_at_[hidden])
Date: 2009-10-28 10:42:52
> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden] [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On
Behalf Of
> gmane
> Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 2:03 PM
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Subject: Re: [boost] boost.math
> Correct me if I am wrong on this, but the use of NTL::RR or MPFR
> automatically forces you to comply with the GPL, meaning that they are
> practically worthless for commercial use.
I believe you are right about using NTL RR (we have asked the author of NTL to
change the license but without success) but previous discussions seemed to
conclude that GMP http://gmplib.org/ might be used (because is it LGPL not GPL)
and discouraged anyone from writing Boost's Own Version of big integer (and big
float) libraries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGPL says (apart from other matters):
"Whether a work that uses an LGPL program is a derivative work or not is a legal
issue."
IANAL and I fear that many lawyers would take the view that the situation causes
too much FUD to be acceptable.
This all seems a regrettable waste of the massive efforts of the GMP team - "the
fastest bignum library on the planet!".
Paul
--- Paul A. Bristow Prizet Farmhouse Kendal, UK LA8 8AB +44 1539 561830, mobile +44 7714330204 pbristow_at_[hidden]
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