   SDL_TTF License question (GPL vs LGPL)
  SDL_TTF is built with FreeType2, which is apparently both BSD and GPL'ed, but SDL_TTF claims to be LGPL'ed only.  I'm not too clear on how the GPL interacts with the LGPL, or how the heck something can be BSD and GPL (doesn't GPL override BSD?) which is why I avoid GPL'ed libraries in the first place, but wouldn't that make SDL_TTF GPL and not LGPL?  I'm fuzzy on licensing, which is a big problem, but I believe I'm in the clear if I dynamically link to an LGPL'ed library... but in this case I'm confused.  A project that links to SDL_TTF would have to be GPL compliant (ie, yield source to whomever asks), so if I used SDL_TTF in my game, I'd have to make it free and open source, right?If this is the case, can anyone make a suggestion for a good OpenGL and SDL compatible, platform independent (or at least Mac, Linux and Windows) library for rendering text (it needn't be TTF, but even gamedev's article suggests this above all others) that is not GPL?  I do not intend to distribute source code, so I can only link to LGPL libraries.  Thanks for any help on the matter.   
Quote:Original post by ZouflainSDL_TTF is built with FreeType2, which is apparently both BSD and GPL'ed, but SDL_TTF claims to be LGPL'ed only.  I'm not too clear on how the GPL interacts with the LGPL, or how the heck something can be BSD and GPL (doesn't GPL override BSD?) which is why I avoid GPL'ed libraries in the first place, but wouldn't that make SDL_TTF GPL and not LGPL?  I'm fuzzy on licensing, which is a big problem, but I believe I'm in the clear if I dynamically link to an LGPL'ed library... but in this case I'm confused.  A project that links to SDL_TTF would have to be GPL compliant (ie, yield source to whomever asks), so if I used SDL_TTF in my game, I'd have to make it free and open source, right?If this is the case, can anyone make a suggestion for a good OpenGL and SDL compatible, platform independent (or at least Mac, Linux and Windows) library for rendering text (it needn't be TTF, but even gamedev's article suggests this above all others) that is not GPL?  I do not intend to distribute source code, so I can only link to LGPL libraries.  Thanks for any help on the matter.Freetype2 doesn't use the BSD license, it uses the Freetype license or the GPL (up to those using it to choose which one they want), the reason for both licenses is that the Freetype license has a credit clause which makes it incompatible with the GPL (just like the original 4 clause BSD license).So basically if you're making a product that isn't licensed under the GPL you want to take Freetype under the Freetype license (which means you have to pay attention to the credit clause)Quote:You may not pretend that  you wrote this software.  If you useit, or  only parts of it,  in a program,  you must acknowledgesomewhere  in  your  documentation  that  you  have  used  theFreeType code. (`credits')If you're making GPL licensed software you take freetype under the GPL license and follow the rules of that instead.SDL_TTF uses the LGPL and links with Freetype under whatever license you choose (Remember, you can link LGPL code with anything you want). (The LGPL includes a clause that allows you to release the LGPL code under the GPL instead in order to make it possible to use LGPL libraries in GPL products)The only thing you need to do if you use SDL_TTF is provide the sourcecode for SDL_TTF (you don't have to provide code to anything SDL_TTF links with (such as your own code or freetype2)) and enable the users to replace or modify SDL_TTF (This is normally done through dynamic linking).   