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Re: Is NPL DFSG complient or not?



Richard Braakman <dark@xs4all.nl> writes:
> Adam P. Harris wrote:
> > Yes, the whole section is:
> > 
> > | 3.2. Availability of Source Code. 
> > |     Any Modification which You create or to which You contribute must
> > |be made available in Source Code form under the terms of this License
> > |either on the same media as an Executable version or via an accepted
> >                                                    ^^
> > |Electronic Distribution Mechanism to anyone to whom you made an
> > |Executable version available; and if made available via Electronic
> >                                    ^^
> > |Distribution Mechanism,
> > 
> > That is to say, *if* source and executable are not distributed
> > together on the "medium", i.e., ftp site (yes that is a medium in the
> > legal sense), then you have to provide these alternative methods below:
> 
> That is only one of the possible interpretations, and it requires you
> to claim that distribution from an ftp site is _not_ an "Electronic
> Distribution Mechanism".

Not at all.  Read my interpretation again.  I propose that the clause
"and if made available via Electronic Distribution Mechanism" really
means "and if you are *not* shipping the source and the executable
together, but rather opting to using some other Electronic
Distribution Mechanism (i.e., CVS) to distribute the source, ...",

> The first sentence makes a distinction between "on the same media..." 
> and "via an accepted Electronic Distribution Mechanism", without
> giving any hint about what should be done with cases that satisfy
> both. 
> I see no reason to read the "and if" one way or the other.
> The license is ambiguous on this point.

You are right that the logic is ambiguous and could be read either
way.  I.e., 

  if ! p, then q
  if   q, then r

But, as you know, it's a logical falicy to think "if !p, then q" also
means "if p, then !q".  As such the license seems silent on the case
of "p && q".

I think the laywers fell for the logical fallicy.  I guess we should
point that out to them.

> Can someone with more status than I contact Netscape and try to
> get this clarified?  I tried asking on the mozilla-license list
> and got no response.

Yes, that list seems dead.

I'm CC'ing <mozilla-license@mozilla.org>.  I've also included my
previous email for context.

Hopefully we can get a statement of Intent from the framers of the
license.  Maybe the license needs version 1.0.1?
-- 
.....A. P. Harris...apharris@onShore.com...<URL:http://www.onShore.com/>


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To: Philip Hands <phil@hands.com>
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Subject: Re: Is NPL DFSG complient or not?
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From: apharris@burrito.onshore.com (Adam P. Harris)
Date: 19 Aug 1998 00:10:36 -0400
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Philip Hands <phil@hands.com> writes:
> I'm not convinced that the [NM]PL requires that the source be made available 
> any longer than the binaries, if they are provided on the same medium, at the 
> same time (i.e.  FTP, or HTTP).

Actually, rereading this, I think you are right!
> I interpret the second occurrence of the phrase 
> 
>   Electronic Distribution Mechanism
> 
> as a reference back to the first, so that the part or the sentence prior to 
> the semi-colon is saying ``you can distribute the binaries either a) with,
> or b) without the source'', and the bit after the semi-colon is saying ``If 
> you choose option b) then its up to you to let people get the source up to
> 12 (or 6) months later''.

Yes, the whole section is:

| 3.2. Availability of Source Code. 
|     Any Modification which You create or to which You contribute must
|be made available in Source Code form under the terms of this License
|either on the same media as an Executable version or via an accepted
                                                   ^^
|Electronic Distribution Mechanism to anyone to whom you made an
|Executable version available; and if made available via Electronic
                                   ^^
|Distribution Mechanism,

That is to say, *if* source and executable are not distributed
together on the "medium", i.e., ftp site (yes that is a medium in the
legal sense), then you have to provide these alternative methods below:

|                        must remain available for at least twelve (12)
|months after the date it initially became available, or at least six
|(6) months after a subsequent version of that particular Modification
|has been made available to such recipients. You are responsible for
|ensuring that the Source Code version remains available even if the
|Electronic Distribution Mechanism is maintained by a third party.

-- 
.....A. P. Harris...apharris@onShore.com...<URL:http://www.onShore.com/>


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