Re: [Boost-users] Re: Boost license and Open Source

From: Jon Kalb (Kalb_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-05-04 15:17:18

On 4/29/04 9:07 AM, "Christopher D. Russell" <cdr_at_[hidden]> wrote:

> Boost license and Open SourceHi Ezequiel, I am in a similar situation and
> although I'm not an IP lawyer (I just pay them a lot of money), my
> understanding is as follows:
> 
> The Boost license will not allow you to redistribute the Boost source as part
> of your project and re-assign its license terms. Conceptually, think of Boost
> as an extension to the standard library and designate it in your
> documentation as a dependency of your project that must be independently
> obtained, installed, and configured as part of the process of setting up a
> build environment compatible with your project. You are then free to
> distribute your source (sans Boost source) under whatever license you see
> fit.

You can also distribute the Boost source with your source. You just can't
change the license for that part of your distribution. There might be some
potential for user confusion, but this might be avoided by documenting
clearly which part of your distribution is covered by the Boost license and
which is covered by your other Open Source license(s).

I think one of the advantages of including the Boost sources with your
distribution is that you can avoid the problem of having your source work
with a particular release of Boost, but your users may download a more
recent release with which you many not be completely compatible.

-- 
Jon Kalb
Kalb_at_[hidden]