Hello! First of all, I would like to ask you to Cc: me to replies, as I am not subscribed to the list. Thanks in advance! Now, the reason I'm posting here is I've noticed the following claim made by nmap developers [1]: in accordance with section 4 of the GPL, we hereby terminate SCO's rights to redistribute any versions of Nmap in any of their products, including (without limitation) OpenLinux, Skunkware, OpenServer, and UNIXWare." IANAL, but I see two issues with this. First, nmap is distributed under the GPL. Section 4 of the GPL sates [2]: 4. You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Program except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense or distribute the Program is void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License. However, parties who have received copies, or rights, from you under this License will not have their licenses terminated so long as such parties remain in full compliance. My understanding of that is that you're only allowed to use this program as long as you comply with the GPL, which does not limit its distribution or usage on certain platforms. Any such addendum would be a new licence. By browsing the GPL FAQ, I came across two sections, which, in short, state that if you change the GPL, you must not use the name GPL [3] and that you are not allowed to distribute a program under a different licence than GPL, but have all modifications be GPL [4]. I am not sure if adding that claim means you've changed the GPL. If it doesn't, then what I've said above is irrelevant and should be ignored. :-) The second problem is one that concerns Debian, namely, the DFSGiness of that. It is, to me, clear, that it is not DFSG [5], since it violates 5 poits. 1) Free Redistribution The license of a Debian component may not restrict any party from selling or giving away the software as a component of an aggregate software distribution containing programs from several different sources. The license may not require a royalty or other fee for such sale. 5) No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons. 6) No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research. 8) License Must Not Be Specific to Debian The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a Debian system. If the program is extracted from Debian and used or distributed without Debian but otherwise within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the Debian system. 9) License Must Not Contaminate Other Software The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software. For example, the license must not insist that all other programs distributed on the same medium must be free software. Now, my questions for you are: 1) Is nmap's licence GPL, or by adding that mention, they created a new licence? 2) Is nmap DFSG compliant, and can be distributed in Debian? 3) Was I on crack when reading the above? [1] - http://www.insecure.org/stf/Nmap-3.50-Release.html [2] - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html [3] - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ModifyGPL [4] - http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#ReleaseNotOriginal [5] - http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines -- Birzan George Violence is the last refuge of Cristian the incompetent -- Salvor Hardin
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