On Wed, 9 Nov 2005 16:54:58 -0500 Daniel Kahn Gillmor wrote:
[...]
> Hello good people--
Hi! :)
>
> I'm considering ITP'ing CIAO [0], but before i look into it further, i
> wanted to get this community's advice on its freeness.
Good.
[...]
> The only other debian reference to this license i've been able to turn
> up is in Steve McIntyre's report on netpbm licensing [3], which refers
> to it as "A variation on the BSD license".
Full text of the license is pasted below, for future reference:
/*****************************************************************/
/* Copyrights: */
/* */
/* Copyright (c) 1999 2003 Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory */
/* */
/* Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this */
/* software and its documentation for any purpose is hereby */
/* granted without fee, provided that the above copyright */
/* notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright */
/* notice and this permission notice appear in supporting docu- */
/* mentation, and that the name of the Smithsonian Astro- */
/* physical Observatory not be used in advertising or publicity */
/* pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, */
/* written prior permission. The Smithsonian Astrophysical */
/* Observatory makes no representations about the suitability */
/* of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" */
/* without express or implied warranty. */
/* THE SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY DISCLAIMS ALL */
/* WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL */
/* IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO */
/* EVENT SHALL THE SMITHSONIAN ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY BE */
/* LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES */
/* OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA */
/* OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR */
/* OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH */
/* THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. */
/* */
/*****************************************************************/
It actually seems like a mix of Expat and 3-clause-BSD licenses.
I think it's DFSG-free and GPL-compatible.
>
> I haven't done a full code audit yet to ensure that all the relevant
> source is in fact under the SIC, but if the SIC itself is considered
> non-free, that would be a huge blocker for me.
If nobody disagrees with my analysis, you can begin the full code audit,
I would say...
>
> Thanks for the great work you all do keeping debian on the right
> track.
Happy to help.
--
:-( This Universe is buggy! Where's the Creator's BTS? ;-)
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