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Re: WNPP requests



On Tue, May 30, 2000 at 09:14:01PM -0700, Sean 'Shaleh' Perry wrote:
> On Tue, May 30, 2000 at 07:11:35PM -0700, Carl B. Constantine wrote:
> > I'm in the process of becoming a Debian developer. I sent a WNPP request to
> > create packages for three orphaned packages: macutils, gnotes, and iplogger.
> > I also mentioned that xirc uses Qt and thus should be moved to Cannot
> > package with Debian.
> > 
> 
> Why can't QT based apps be in Debian?  qt1 is non-free, qt2 is in main.

the new troll licence which qt2 is licenced under is incompatible with
the GPL, but is still considered a free software licence.  the problem
is with programs licenced under the GPL link to qt2, by doing so they
violate the GPL and become non-distributable.  if the author of the
GPLed code adds an exception to the licence its OK, but many GPLed
programs using qt may/do contain GPL licenced code belonging to
someone else.  

so if xirc is troll licenced i think it could be packaged, but if its
GPL without the exception clause (from all copyright owners) then its
not legally distributable.

this is the way i understand the issue, please check the big long
flamewar in the -devel archives to your own satisfaction and/or
correct me privatly, but please don't start another fire here!  ;-)

-- 
Ethan Benson
http://www.alaska.net/~erbenson/

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