Hi,
Our source code never imports hibernate Classes but does import spring classes for hibernate. Spring is licensed under Apache. Does this mean our code is derivative work of hibernate(due to indirect linking)?

Hibernate is licensed under LGPL which requires derived binary to be allowed for "reverse engineering": http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-java.html.
We do not want to distribute our unobfuscated code and will not allow end user to reverse engineer our binary. Will we be able to use hibernate in our product?


Thanks,
Hari Sujathan

Use an unmodified Hibernate binary. This is explained here: http://www.hibernate.org/356.html

If you distribute a modified and self-compiled Hibernate binary, you have to distribute those modifications in source form under the LGPL.

Spring and any "indirect linking" (whatever that is) does not affect Hibernate at all.

Still since its LGPL and our project is an indirect derivative of hibernate, We should allow end users to reverse engineer our product. Which means, we cannot obfuscate the classes.

I believe any product distributed in commercial world obfuscates the code. Can you clarify how this limitation can be overcome?

Thanks in Advance
Hari.

5th para here: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-java.html says reverse engineering should be allowed.
Obfuscation prevents reverse engineering. That's the concern.

Will try to get it clarified through telephonic conversation with FSF team.

Hari