Open Source FAQ > What are the most difficult questions in open source licensing? > What is the scope of derviative works under the GPLv2?
Search the FAQ for entries containing:
I have often called this the $64,000 question of open source licensing. (Some of you are too young for that reference, but it comes from a game show in the 1960's -- back then, that much bought you a house, not just a Mercedes Benz E Class.) There are some relatively easy cases to determine GPL scope, and you will find more about those on the FSF's FAQ about GPLv2 on my links page. But there are other cases, such as those involving Linux kernel drivers, dual processors, virtualization layers, that are more complicated. To analyze these questions, one needs some technical understanding about how software is put together, and also an understanding of the legal principles underlying GPL.
Last updated on November 7, 2009 by Heather Meeker