[Lazarus] Concerning GPL compatibility with more permissive licenses

[Kenneth Cochran]

I am working on a mini framework that acts as an abstraction over the
Delphi and Lazarus IDE extension APIs. The idea is a single API that can be
used to develop extensions for both.

Most or all of the Lazarus source is covered under the GPL. It is my
understanding that the GPL requires derivative works (by static linking) to
also be open source. Do derivative works necessarily need to be under the
same license? I would like to release my framework under a more permissive
license to encourage commercial extension authors from the Delphi side to
port to Lazarus.

The tools extension ecosystem on the Delphi side is small compared to the
component ecosystem. It is dominated by open source projects such as
GExperts, CnPack and the JEDI Project. The few closed source extensions I'm
aware of are so tied to the Delphi IDE that there's very little chance that
a port to Lazarus would even be feasible.

My hope for this mini framework isn't so much to ease migration from one
IDE to another but to lower the barrier of entry for developing IDE
extensions for both. On the Delphi side the OpenTools API(OTA) has
traditionally been the least documented and most fluctuating feature of the
product. The Lazarus extension API (does it have an official name?) is
slightly better on the documentation (not sure on the stability of the API
since this is my first extension). Providing a stable, well documented
abstraction that provides portability for both IDEs could open the door for
a lot more experimentation from developers that may not have considered
writing an extension otherwise.
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