Re: MySQL licensing and OpenSSL linking issues
Steve Langasek <vorlon@netexpress.net> writes:
> On Fri, Jun 06, 2003 at 11:25:51AM -0500, Branden Robinson wrote:
>> On Fri, Jun 06, 2003 at 10:39:23AM +0200, Christian Hammers wrote:
>> > Attached and below you'll find the recent plans of MySQL regarding
>> > their licenses. I would think that this is sufficient for the
>> > Debian project. If not please scream loud now! :-)
>> [...]
>> > > Here is our initial plan to fix the problems that been created by the
>> > > change in licensing.
>
>> > > We are considering offering a blanket exception that will allow MySQL to
>> > > be used in combined works where the combined work is licensed under one
>> > > or more OSI approved licenses.
>> [...]
>> > > Can you see problems with this approach?
>
>> Yes!
>
>> What happens if OSI ever decides to yank their approval from a license,
>> what happens then?
>
>> I think MySQL is best advised to draft license terms that require as
>> little reference to certifications and proclamations of third parties as
>> possible.
>
> Would it be reasonable to ask them to "snapshot" the OSI license list
> with every release? This would ensure that the permission to link isn't
> retroactively revoked by a third party, while saving MySQL AB the work
> of coming up with their own definition of what they consider acceptable.
> As long as this is a list of *additional* linking permissions, and the
> contributors are ok with this sort of license, I don't see any reason
> why this couldn't work.
The contributors would each need to assent to each change of the list, or
assign copyright to MySQL, or assent to the schema of changes (and I'd
assume that last to be shaky).
That's a lot of paperwork for each release.
> Other than that issue, I think this would nicely address Debian's needs.
> I'm pleased to see MySQL AB taking this step to clarify the license of
> the client libraries.
It seems at that point that it would be easier to just put it under
the LGPL.
-Brian
--
Brian T. Sniffen bts@alum.mit.edu
http://www.evenmere.org/~bts/
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