risto@tuura.UUCP (Risto Lankinen) (03/05/90)
I have an interesting problem. Suppose that...
- I am a legal owner of a compiler, say, QuickBASIC
- The licence for the compiler allows distributing the executable
file commercially, even though it containsportions of libraries
copyrighted by the compiler manufacturer (it almost necessarily
does).
Now, if I managed in using the QuickBASIC library routines in a program
made wholly in an other language, would it still be a legal act to link
to (the legally owned) QB libraries and sell the target executable?
If not so, could it be made legal by linking together a minimal Quick-
BASIC -compiled program (like "CALL AssemblyCode : END") and consider-
ably larger assembler code in order to make the library calls from the
assembler code only and then call it 'a QuickBASIC program'?
Can libraries be protected at all? Couldn't one make an 'own' library
whichcontains code that calls all of the PUBLIC(ly declared) routinees
in an another library so that the rebuilt target library would have all
the same objects (still PUBLICly declared) to be used by that "Execute
All Functions At Least Once - utility" whose distribution is allowed in
the licence.
terveisin: Risto Lankinen
--
Risto Lankinen / product specialist ***************************************
Nokia Data Systems, Technology Dept * 2 2 *
THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK * 2 -1 is PRIME! Now working on 2 +1 *
replies: risto@yj.data.nokia.fi ***************************************