The "Lesser GPL" (preceded by "Library GPL") doesn't prevent usage, to my knowledge; it isn't hypocritical with regard to freedom zero.
It allows certain combined works to be redistributed whose redistribution would be forbidden by the GPL, like proprietary, closed-source programs dynamically linked to a LGPLed library.
Given a GPLed library, you can make such a combined work anyway, and use it; but you may not redistribute it.
The LGPL is more free than the GPL, whereas the AGPL is nonfree.
In 2016, the Cygwin project LGPLed its libraries (DLLs). That was great news; that meant I could bundle a BSD-licensed program without having to put a GPL license on the combined work as a whole and cast doubts about how it could be used (since it is a programming language implementation, needing to be redistributed by downstream developers).
I immediately started working on a fork of the Cygwin DLL that would enable it to serve as a more native-looking run-time for Windows applications. I could build the program on Cygwin (and make a regular Cygwin package), but also ship exactly the same executable as a Windows application by bundling it with the modified cygwin1.dll.
The LGPL is good.
In computer science, there is the question whether P =? NP.
Likewise, we have the question GPL =? LGPL; would the GPL's unreasonable exclusion of dynamic linking hold up in court, or would it fall, reducing GPL to LGPL?
I'm of the opinion that everything library-like should use the LGPL rather than the GPL (if it must use some kind of GPL). The LGPL is what the GPL should be (if it legally isn't already anyway).
The LGPL is better for promoting free software. If some developer has a choice between a proprietary library and a free one, it's counterproductive to slap a GPL on the free one to steer them to the other one.
Obviously, the LGPL is used for platform libraries like Glibc, based on similar reasoning, which is probably also why Cygwin sobered up and switched to LGPL. Because banishing proprietary programs from linking to the libraries that comprise free platforms would be counterproductive. You just lose user base and mind share.
My bad, I accidentally typed LGPL when I meant AGPL. I do actually know what these licenses entail in general, despite the typo. I kinda wonder if it was autocorrect that screwed it up.
It allows certain combined works to be redistributed whose redistribution would be forbidden by the GPL, like proprietary, closed-source programs dynamically linked to a LGPLed library.
Given a GPLed library, you can make such a combined work anyway, and use it; but you may not redistribute it.
The LGPL is more free than the GPL, whereas the AGPL is nonfree.
In 2016, the Cygwin project LGPLed its libraries (DLLs). That was great news; that meant I could bundle a BSD-licensed program without having to put a GPL license on the combined work as a whole and cast doubts about how it could be used (since it is a programming language implementation, needing to be redistributed by downstream developers).
I immediately started working on a fork of the Cygwin DLL that would enable it to serve as a more native-looking run-time for Windows applications. I could build the program on Cygwin (and make a regular Cygwin package), but also ship exactly the same executable as a Windows application by bundling it with the modified cygwin1.dll.
The LGPL is good.
In computer science, there is the question whether P =? NP.
Likewise, we have the question GPL =? LGPL; would the GPL's unreasonable exclusion of dynamic linking hold up in court, or would it fall, reducing GPL to LGPL?
I'm of the opinion that everything library-like should use the LGPL rather than the GPL (if it must use some kind of GPL). The LGPL is what the GPL should be (if it legally isn't already anyway).
The LGPL is better for promoting free software. If some developer has a choice between a proprietary library and a free one, it's counterproductive to slap a GPL on the free one to steer them to the other one.
Obviously, the LGPL is used for platform libraries like Glibc, based on similar reasoning, which is probably also why Cygwin sobered up and switched to LGPL. Because banishing proprietary programs from linking to the libraries that comprise free platforms would be counterproductive. You just lose user base and mind share.