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Re: Bug#189164: libdbd-mysql-perl uses GPL lib, may be used by GPL-incompatible apps



Anthony DeRobertis <asd@suespammers.org> writes:

> On Friday, May 23, 2003, at 09:52 AM, Brian T. Sniffen wrote:
>>> Let's take a concrete example: apache-ssl. In particular, it's
>>> postint.
>>> It uses "adduser", which is under the GPL. It also uses update-rc.d,
>>> also under the GPL. So, as above, we have to say the postinst is
>>> available under the GPL. However, it also uses
>>> /usr/sbin/ssl-certificate, which uses OpenSSL. It is well-known
>>> that the
>>> GPL and the OpenSSL license are not compatible.
>>>
>>> Is the above legal? If so, why?
>>
>> I'm not a lawyer -- but I think distribution of apache-ssl.postinst
>> must be distributed under the terms of the GPL.  As such, it can't be
>> distributed by others without an OpenSSL exception or a license which
>> grants a superset of the freedoms of the GPL.
>
> OK, then I take it you're in favor filing seriouss bug against
> ftp.debian.org asking for the removal of apache-ssl and *many* more
> packages like it.

Not quite -- I'd prefer to find a more reasonable solution first, and
begin implementing it second.

-Brian

-- 
Brian T. Sniffen                                        bts@alum.mit.edu
                       http://www.evenmere.org/~bts/



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