[Libav-user] License Model LGPL and static linking

[Carl Eugen Hoyos]

Pokriefke, Sven <S.Pokriefke at ...> writes:

> In our software department we would like to use your very good 
> and fine working library ffmpeg, which can be licensed under 
> LGPL.

> Regarding the aspect that we are developing security products, 
> we would like to link your library statically instead of 
> dynamical, which is demanded by LGPL license.

The LGPL does not demand that you use dynamic linking.
(There are operating systems that do not support 
dynamic linking, the license would be braindead if 
it would forbid distributing the library for such OSs.)

> the customer shall not have the chance to make the product 
> unstable by exchanging the library with a different version. 

Then you are not allowed to distribute binaries based on 
FFmpeg (unless you open source your whole product): This is 
exactly what the LGPL demands.

> Is there any chance to do so? Maybe you also have other 
> ideas, which you could share with us.

The argument that you want to save your users from damage by 
not allowing them to improve your software seems as if using 
open source software in your company is generally a very bad 
idea.

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Carl Eugen