using mkisofs

[Sereby]

hiho,

i don't know where to post it so ask it here:

am i allowed to release an own written application, that uses mkisofs, without making it open source?

i read somewhere that i have to release my app as open source if i want to release it with mkisofs.exe.

could someone please let me know it i'm allowed to use it without releasing as open source!?

[cluberti]

According to sections 4, 5, and 6 of the GPL, you do not have to license your code under the GPL if you are not modifying or using the GPL'ed code from (in this example) mkisofs, but redistributing the binary only. However, you must prominently display in the license to your software that this binary is covered by the GPL, and you must release (or offer to release, upon request) the source of the binary as well. You can read the GPL yourself if you need a little further clarification. If, however, you use the mkisofs libraries in any way, you are bound by the GPL license that covers those libraries and you must release as GPL any derivative works.

In all honesty, unless you cannot reproduce the functions that mkisofs does on your own, you'd be better off doing it yourself within your program to avoid any GPL gray areas, because things like dynamic linking of GPL'ed code aren't specifically covered in the GPL itself, only inferred, and none of the cases concerning linking like this have ever gone to court (all have been settled). In fact, if this will be a Windows binary, consider using the IMAPI COM interop instead - it's inbox on Vista and 7, and is a free download for XP and 2003 users. There's even a codeproject page on it, for what it's worth.