Re: Having a non-free and a non-cd branch?

[Scott Hanson <shanson@shcon.com>]

>On Jun 29, Scott Hanson wrote:
>> OK, can you tell me whether this excerpt from the Mysql Public License
>> allows putting mysql on any CD:
>>
>> <quote>
>> Distribution of the Program or any work based on the Program by a
>> commercial organization to any third party is prohibited if any
>> payment is made ...However, the following methods of distribution
>> involving payment shall not in and of themselves be a violation of
>> this restriction:
>> ...
>> (ii) Distributing the Program on a CD-ROM, provided that the
>> files containing the Program are reproduced entirely and verbatim on
>> such CD-ROM, and provided further that all information on such CD-ROM
>> be redistributable for non-commercial purposes without charge.
>> </quote>
>>
>> I'm not a lawyer. I just want to maintain the mysql package so people
>> can use it with Debian. I don't want to have to try to interpret
>> non-free licenses for other people making CDs, especially since I have
>> no idea what else they are putting on the CD.
>
>It sounds like (ii) is an exception to the "Distribution of the Program..."
>clause, so yes.

Then you read this differently than I do. To me, it sounds like if there is
even just one commercial program on the CD (say, the Metro X Server
included in the InfoMagic set, or the BRU package included in the
commercial Red Hat), then including mysql on the CD is _not_ allowed.

So I cannot give a simple, blanket answer as whether mysql can be
distributed on CD or not. And I don't think it is Debian's place to be
making such distinctions. For Debian, software is either free or it's not.

Scott
Scott Hanson <shanson@shcon.com>  <shanson@debian.org>
Johmsweg 9, D-21266 Jesteburg, Germany


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