Your code can be MIT and use a GPL library as a dependency

[erykwieliczko]

Including a GPL dependency doesn't mean the whole code has to be on GPL.
You can just release it as MIT with a Phonemizer as a GPL dependency. If a business makes a product out of your code, it will have to track the individual licenses of any dependency anyway.

In fact, there are projects that have a mix of GPL and MIT code in a single repo. If someone ever decides to rewrite GPL parts, they'll be left with a pure MIT. While GPL parts are left, the whole binary is considered a GPL.

Thus no reason to change phonemizers if all you need to do is to change a license.

[fakerybakery]

Hey, thanks for reaching out! Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought GPL required any software that links to it also be GPL licensed.

[erykwieliczko]

True. That's why there is GPL compatibility.
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#WhatDoesCompatMean

GPL compatibility basically means "does this license allows you to relicense a program under GPL". Or in other words "does the license give you all freedoms that GPL gives".
MIT is very permissive and gives all freedoms that GPL gives. And thus, is compatible. It can be mixed with GPL code without infringing on it.

[fakerybakery]

I think what it means is that you can include MIT in GPL but not the other way around. GPL specifically says that any code that links to GPL software must also be GPL licensed.

[ZYJGO]

@fakerybakery Hi, thanks for the great work in the tts community, do you have plans to add another repo that uses OpenPhonemizer with a mit license?

[fakerybakery]

Feel free to use this code as MIT if you remove the Phonemizer dependency!