Re: [Boost-Users] Permission to use?

From: Douglas Gregor (gregod_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-05-06 10:40:19

On Monday 06 May 2002 10:57 am, you wrote:
> IIRC, the original poster was asking what the license
> agreement was for /users/ of Boost.  For example, if
> I'm creating an application or library for internal
> use within a bank, can I use Boost within the
> implementation and under what usage agreements (eg
> will the application/library have to be open-sourced,
> ...)?
>
> Noel

Every Boost library has its own license agreement for users. However, minimum 
requirements for that license agreement are specified at 
http://www.boost.org/more/lib_guide.htm#License, which specifies in part that 
each library's license agreement (with the user) 

"Must grant permission to copy, use and modify the software for any use 
(commercial and non-commercial) for no fee. "

So every Boost library grants permission _to the user_ to copy, use, and 
modify the software for any use for free. Libraries with more restrictive 
open-source licenses (e.g., the GNU Public License), are _not_ eligible for 
inclusion in Boost because they do not meet the Boost license requirements 
(one of which is "Must not require that the source code be available for 
execution or other binary uses of the library").

So in your example, using the Boost libraries does _not_ require you to 
open-source your application or library, because no Boost library is allowed 
to require that.

        Doug