E
ng
lis
h
complete object files to the recipients, so that
they.can.relink.them.with.the.library.after.mak-
ing. changes. to. the. library. and. recompiling. it...
And.you.must.show.them.these.terms.so.they.
know.their.rights.. .
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..We.protect.your.rights.with.a.two-step.meth-
od: (1) we copyright the library, and (2) we of
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fer you this license, which gives you legal
permission to copy, distribute and/or modify the
library.. .
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To protect each distributor, we want to make
it.very.clear.that.there.is.no.warranty.for.the.
free library. Also, if the library is modified
by someone else and passed on, the re
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cipients.should.know.that.what.they.have.is.
not the original version, so that the original
author's reputation will not be affected by
problems.that.might.be.introduced.by.oth-
ers.
Finally, software patents pose a
constant.threat.to.the.existence.of.
any.free.program...We.wish.to.make.sure.
that.a.company.cannot.effectively.restrict.
the.users.of.a.free.program.by.obtaining.
a.restrictive.license.from.a.patent.holder...
Therefore, we insist that any patent license
obtained.for.a.version.of.the.library.must.be
consistent.with.the.full.freedom.of.use.
specified in this license.
Most GNU software, including some li
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braries, is covered by the ordinary GNU
General Public License. This license, the
GNU Lesser General Public License, ap
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plies to certain designated libraries, and
is quite different from the ordinary General
Public.License...We.use.this.license.for.certain.
libraries.in.order.to.permit.linking.those.librar-
ies.into.non-free.programs.. .
When a program is linked with a library,
whether statically or using a shared library, the
combination.of.the.two.is.legally.speaking.a
combined work, a derivative of the original li
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brary...The.ordinary.General.Public.License.
therefore.permits.such.linking.only.if.the.
entire combination fits its criteria of freedom.
The.Lesser.General.Public.License.permits.
more.lax.criteria.for.linking.other.code.with
the.library..
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..We.
call.this.license.the."Lesser".General.Public.
License.because.it.does.Less.to.protect.the.us-
er's freedom than the ordinary General Public
License...It.also.provides.other.free.software.
developers.Less.of.an.advantage.over.compet-
ing.non-free.programs...These.disadvantages.
are.the.reason.we.use.the.ordinary.General.
Public License for many libraries. However, the
Lesser.license.provides.advantages.in.certain.
special circumstances. For example, on rare
occasions, there may be a special need to
encourage.the.widest.possible.use.of.a.certain.
library, so that it becomes a de-facto standard.
To achieve this, non-free programs must be
allowed to use the library. A more frequent
case.is.that.a.free.library.does.the.same.job.
as widely used non-free libraries. In this case,
there.is.little.to.gain.by.limiting.the.free.library.
to free software only, so we use the Lesser
General Public License.
In other cases,
permission.to.use.a.particular.library.in.non-
free.programs.enables.a.greater.number.of.
people.to.use.a.large.body.of.free.software...
For example, permission to use the GNU C
Library.in.non-free.programs.enables.many.
more.people.to.use.the.whole.GNU.operating.
system, as well as its variant, the GNU/Linux
operating.system.. ..Although.the.Lesser.
General.Public.License.is.Less.protective.of.the
users' freedom, it does ensure that the user
of.a.program.that.is.linked.with.the.Library.
has.the.freedom.and.the.wherewithal.to.run.
that program using a modified version of the
Library.. .
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..The.precise.
terms and conditions for copying, distribution
and modification follow. Pay close attention
to.the.difference.between.a."work.based.on.
the.library".and.a."work.that.uses.the.library"...
The.former.contains.code.derived.from.the.
library, whereas the latter must be combined
with.the.library.in.order.to.run..
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..GNU.LESSER.GENERAL.PULIC.LICENSE..
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR COPYING,
DISTRIBUTION.AND.MODIFICATION.
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..0..This.License.Agreement.applies.to.any.
software.library.or.other.program.which.con-
tains.a.notice.placed.by.the.copyright.holder.or.
other.authorized.party.saying.it.may.be.
distributed.under.the.terms.of.this.Lesser.
General.Public.License.(also.called."this.
License").Each.licensee.is.addressed.as."you"...
A."library".means.a.collection.of.software.
functions.and/or.data.prepared.so.as.to.be.
conveniently.linked.with.application.programs.
(which.use.some.of.those.functions.and.data).
to.form.executables..
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