Open Source FAQ > Basic open source software licensing questions > There are lots of software lawyers. Why should I call on you for my open source licensing questions?
Search the FAQ for entries containing:
- If your software lawyer does not get this joke: #define ever (;;) s/he may not know how to analyze, say, the complexity of data sharing of inherited classes to determine whether two dynamically linked C functions must both be licensed under the GPL. (Wish I could take credit for the joke but I can't. It was told to me by a teacher in a programming class.) Also, many lawyers use a traditional approach GPL to compliance analysis -- which misses the point entirely. They read the agreement and carefully analyze its language. Usually, this is the right way to interpret a legal agreement, but the GPL is not written in traditional legal style, and analyzing the GPL is not just a legal task -- it requires knowledge of programming, and knowledge of the industry.
Last updated on November 7, 2009 by Heather Meeker