Thread: GPL license: how does it cover the output of a program?

From my understanding of it, the anti proprietary / anti drm section is focussed on excluding drm / proprietary code in gnu-gpl software, not on making output fall under the gnu-gpl.

Yes, so the section that psychopath quoted has to do with cases when part of the program itself forms the output generated. I think none of us here are familiar enough with Q3Radiant and Quake3 BSP files to say something conclusive about this.

I suspect that if templates are used here, they are just input data for Q3Radiant, so the output would not need to be licensed under the GPL.

Originally Posted by laserlight

Yes, so the section that psychopath quoted has to do with cases when part of the program itself forms the output generated. I think none of us here are familiar enough with Q3Radiant and Quake3 BSP files to say something conclusive about this.

I suspect that if templates are used here, they are just input data for Q3Radiant, so the output would not need to be licensed under the GPL.

yup, the gnu-gpl is designed to keep the software open source, not interfere with business use of the software. output, unless it includes the sources, [ not templates ] is not forced into any license. Templated output is not concidered as including the source code, since a template is only a format specification, not a required part of the software and generally is not licensed under then gnu-gpl, but is licensed under the lgpl. [ documentation license, allows for commercial use ]