Re: Debian Free Software (FSF) or Open Source? (was Re; non-cd...)
On Sun, 28 Jun 1998 13:17:20 -0400, Raul Miller wrote:
>What do you mean by "on the record"? Do you mean in terms legally
>binding as a license?
Yes. A clarification. A simple question of, "Hey, we want to put
binaries linked to your library up on or FTP site (or whatever) is that a
violation of your license?"
>If so, why haven't they done this yet? Are you suggesting no one has
>raised the license issue with them?
Maybe not. I know of only two other distributions that have had any
dealings with it. Red Hat, which is a clear no, and SuSe, which they package
it as their default WM/DE. I don't think this specific circumstance has come
up.
And 5 minutes later I have the answer...
<http://www.troll.no/faq/faq-freeedition.html>
-----
2. Is Qt Free Edition free software?
No, according to the common definition of free software of the free
software community, as exemplified by Linux, GPL, Debian Free Software
Guidelines, etc., Qt Free Edition is not free software. The main difference
is that we do not allow you to distribute modifications to the Qt Free
Edition itself.
Qt Free Edition is free in the senses that you may use it free of charge
(under the Qt Free Edition License), and that Qt Free Edition is freely
distributable (i.e. you may freely put it on your web site or CD-ROM etc. as
long as you use the original, unmodified archive).
12. Does your licensing allow Qt be put on a Linux distribution (CD/ftp
archive etc.) free of charge?
Yes. Some Linux distributions already contain Qt. Anyone can
redistribute the free edition of Qt, for free or for pay, as long as they
include the whole archive unmodified.
17. Can I distribute dynamically linked applications that use Qt? Can I
distribute statically linked applications that use Qt?
Yes and yes.
-----
The way I read those is that Qt is not free (Open Source/speech)
software, but the free edition is free (beer). Binaries that are staticly or
dynamically linked to Qt can be distributed. So Debian is cool putting KDE
on its FTP site. *Where* it goes is a matter of debate between other people.
>If the terms are not legally binding as a license, what happens if/when
>the license changes hands? You want everyone who distributes debian to
>assume this legal risk?
Then the free KDE clause kicks in. The license cannot change hands. If
Trolltech itself changes hands or is disbanded Qt becomes GPL'd from that
point on. I'm not sure of the exact name of it but that is the general gist.
(After rereading and finding the above...)
And from the same we page...
-----
10.What if Troll Tech stops releasing Qt under the Free Software License?
We have absolutely no plans of doing that.
The KDE Free Qt Foundation guarantees the availability of Qt for free
software development now and in the future.
-----
The KDE project and Troll Tech AS, the creators of Qt, are pleased to
announce the founding of the 'KDE Free Qt Foundation'.
The purpose of this foundation is to guarantee the availability of Qt for
free software development now and in the future.
The foundation will control the rights to the Qt Free Edition and ensure that
current and future releases of Qt will be available for free software
development at all times. All changes to the Qt Free Edition license will
have to be approved by the KDE Free Qt Foundation which will consist of two
members of Troll Tech AS as well as two members of the KDE project. One of
the representatives of the KDE project will have a double vote to be used in
case of a tie.
Should Troll Tech ever discontinue the Qt Free Edition for any reason
including, but not limited to, a buy-out of Troll Tech, a merger or
bankruptcy, the latest version of the Qt Free Edition will be released under
the BSD license.
Furthermore, should Troll Tech cease continued development of Qt, as assessed
by a majority of the KDE Free Qt Foundation, and not release a new version at
least every 12 months, the Foundation has the right to release the Qt Free
Edition under the BSD License.
At this point lawyers are working on the details of the agreement. Troll Tech
and the KDE project expect to be able to sign the necessary documents within
a few weeks.
We believe the founding of the KDE Free Qt Foundation to be an unprecedented
ground-breaking step, ushering in a new era of software development, allowing
the KDE project, the free software community, all free software developers as
well as commercial software developers to prosper in a mutually supportive
fashion.
Bernd Johannes Wuebben Eirik Eng
The KDE Project Managing Director, Troll Tech
wuebben@kde.org Eirik.Eng@troll.no
-----
So, Qt is not free by their own FAQ. Kudos to them for stating that up
front. By their own FAQ distributing dynamic or statically linked binaries
is ok. Also, they have guarenteed that if the stop productionn for any
reason or even are too slow in production, it drops to the BSD license.
I think they got that avenue quite covered. See what a little asking
will do? :)
>
>Anyways, it's poor taste, at best, to violate someone's license.
>
>--
>Raul
>
--
Steve C. Lamb | Opinions expressed by me are not my
http://www.calweb.com/~morpheus | employer's. They hired me for my
ICQ: 5107343 | skills and labor, not my opinions!
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