[ gpsdrive ] License of map icons

[Joerg Ostertag (gpsdrive Munich/Germany)]

On Montag 26 November 2007, Hamish wrote:
> Julian Stacey wrote:
> > Chuckle. The curse of GPL.  Needs reading & re-reading often to be
> > sure what it means.  There's more opinions/ interpretations  on GPL
> > than sand grains in a desert ;-) Only way is to read & re-read
> > yourself till sure yourself :-)
>
> It's really not that hard. In my previous post I spoke to the cost and
> benefits to both parties. That is really the crux of it.
>
> > An example might suggest your interpretation may be over strict
> > though: http://FreeBSD.ORG (& NetBSD & OpenBSD & .... ) (Not GPL'd)
> > have embedded FSF's GPL'd GCC for over a decade.
>
> No, the interpretation was correct, if GPL icons are embedded in a program
> the program must be GPL too (upon release to the public).
>
> Two things.
> 1) You are allowed to release GPL programs along side non-GPL programs.
> They just cannot form a single program. The difference between the OS and
> stuff that comes with it is spoken to in the license. In this way it
> doesn't matter to BSD if gcc is GPL or not. Only if they start changing the
> compiler program do they have to worry about releasing those changes to the
> compiler program. It is not part of the kernel.

But the map-icons are placed in a directory of the openstreetmap project. The 
install as a separate debian package Openstreetmap-icons which can be found 
in the gpsdrive.de/debian repository. So if you only want to use them from 
your program ( and don't include them into your package)  the view 
(concerning the license) might be different.
This might help you ... 

-
Joerg