Hibernate license question

bariar50303 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:10 am **Posts:** 4

Hi,

I am planning to use hibernate. I dont have LGPL license.

My question is that can i Use hibernate library (I wont modify it) for my Java application and then include the hibernate jar in EAR file for deployment purpose?

There wont be any modifications in Hibernate Library. I will just develop my application and then include the jar file in my EAR application.

Thanks!!

Regards
Aman

kochcp · **Posted:** Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:58 am

bariar50303 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:10 am **Posts:** 4

Thanks for the reply..

Can you please let me know for my knowledge sake that why it is not license infringement.

kochcp · **Posted:** Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:27 am

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html

vikasbansal · **Joined:** Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:25 am **Posts:** 1

Hi,
We are planning to use Hibernate 2.1.8 in our product. Our product is a commercial product. We will be using only the object code of Hibernate 2.1.8. We will not be using the source code of Hibernate 2.1.8. Nor we are going to make any modification to Hibernate 2.1.8.

I have read the Release Notes of Hibernate 2.1.8 and it mentions that Hibernate 2.1.8 is covered under FSF LGPL. However, the following are not clear to me:
1. Whether we should refer to FSF LGPL or GNU LGPL? or are they same?

2. Under which version of FSF LGPL is Hibernate 2.1.8 covered? Hibernate 2.1.8 was released in Jan-2005. I don't know what version of FSF LGPL was available at that time but today there is GNU LGPL version 3. The question is whether Hibernate 2.1.8 is covered under a license version of today's date or is it covered under the license version of the GA date of Hibernate 2.1.8?

3. What are my obligations if I use Hibernate 2.1.8 in my commercial product given that I will not modify the Hibernate 2.1.8 objects. I read the LGPL version 3 and section 6b mentions that we must provide teh source code. Is that the case?

Let me know.

Thanks,
Vikas.

kochcp · **Posted:** Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:04 am

FSF is the organization that publishes the GNU licenses so I would assume they are the same. My understanding is if you don't modify the source code, you may distribute the jar file with your code without publishing the source code (because it's already available on hibernate.org). However, if you modify the source code, you must provide for a publicly available version of your modified source code.

As for the specific LPGL version when 2.1.8 was released, I have no idea. It is probably provided in the zip file you downloaded if you still have it.