What does open source license (like GNU-GPL) mean?

Posted by Hemant on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by Hemant
Published on 2010-06-18T11:37:46Z Indexed on 2010/06/18 11:43 UTC
Read the original article Hit count: 200

Filed under:

open-source

|

licensing

I am looking forward to use an open source product which has GNU-GPL like license and it says that if I use that product, I must share the source code of my application.

I am slightly confused about it. I understand that Linux is available under GNU-GPL license as well. Does it mean ALL linux application are and has to be open source? Does it mean I can ask for the source code of complete Oracle DB from Oracle Corp (at least the part that runs on Linux)?

© Stack Overflow or respective owner

Related posts about open-source

Introducing Java/Open Source Daily, All the Java/Open Source Information You Need in One Newsletter

as seen on Internet.com - Search for 'Internet.com'
Internet.com launches a new daily newsletter to provide one-stop coverage of all the Java and Open Source information that matters to you. >>> More
Introducing Java/Open Source Daily, All the Java/Open Source Information You Need in One Newsletter

as seen on Internet.com - Search for 'Internet.com'
Internet.com launches a new daily newsletter to provide one-stop coverage of all the Java and Open Source information that matters to you. >>> More
The Open Source Open Source Conference

as seen on Internet.com - Search for 'Internet.com'
Portland, OR open source advocates took the loss of OSCON in stride: They launched their own open source conference. How did it stack up against the heavyweight, top-down competition? >>> More
Open Source: Open Source Contributions

as seen on Oracle Technology Network - Search for 'Oracle Technology Network'
Oracle investments in Linux yield substantial returns. >>> More
What are the strategies to become a good open source developer?

as seen on Programmers - Search for 'Programmers'
I always hear that involving with open source projects is good for career and the more (good) open source you release, the closer you will be to getting your dream job before you've even had an interview.I am expert in Java and I am trying to become fluent in Scala. I always think about getting involved… >>> More

Related posts about licensing

Windows Server 2008 / SQL 2008 Licensing for Authenticated Web Application

as seen on Server Fault - Search for 'Server Fault'
Hello, I'm trying to crunch some numbers to see what the software costs involved are for hosting an application we are developing. Users will not be anonymous - they will need to log in. SQL Server 2008: SQL Server licensing is easy - it will be licensed per-processor. No real fuss there. The… >>> More
Copy protection and licensing tools.

as seen on Stack Overflow - Search for 'Stack Overflow'
I'm new to stackoverflow.com after hearing about it from Jon Skeet on DotNetRocks.This seems like the perfect place to ask this question. I am in the middle of trying to find a 3rd party Copy protection and licensing tool. The company that I work with have 4 products that need to be protected. We… >>> More
Don't Forget About Software Licensing

as seen on Internet.com - Search for 'Internet.com'
Is your company developing software for sale or distribution? If yes, your company needs a sales policy and a flexible, commercially feasible licensing model. >>> More
Need help with software licensing? Read on…

as seen on Geeks with Blogs - Search for 'Geeks with Blogs'
Figuring out which software licensing options best suit your needs while being cost-effective can be confusing. Some businesses end up making their purchases through retail stores which means they miss out on volume licensing opportunities and others may unknowingly be using unlicensed software which… >>> More
Can I use `UnlockCommercialFeatures` for developing Java applications without a commercial license?

as seen on Programmers - Search for 'Programmers'
As of Java 7 Update 40, Oracle is now including Java Mission Control in the JDK. Being always interested in a new profiling tool, I decided to check it out. However, trying to start Flight Recorder against a process, I get the following error, Now I'm getting cold feet about adding the JVM option… >>> More