LGPL library using only LGPL-parts of partially GPL shared library (gnutls, nettle)

[Andreas Metzler]

On 2011-02-20 Simon Josefsson <simon at josefsson.org> wrote:
> The Blowfish code in Nettle has already been re-implemented under
> LGPLv2+ but not released yet.  I am working on re-implementing Serpent
> under LGPLv2+, however there are multiple and incompatible test vectors
> of Serpent and it is not clear which corresponds to the "real" Serpent.

> Meanwhile, perhaps the Nettle package in Debian could disable Serpent
> and Blowfish, or since the Blowfish re-write mostly re-established
> LGPLv2+ as the license of the old code, at least disable Serpent?
[...]

Hello,
That would break the ABI and require a soname change, afaiui.

I have the feeling that the discussion I started is an academic one
anyway. Nettle's public key library (libhogweed) uses and links against
libgmp, which is LGPLv3+. Therefore switching gnutls from gcrypt to
nettle would break GPLv2-compatibility (GPLv2 without the "or any
later version " clause). Oh dear.

cu andreas
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