Re: License query for mrouted

[John Hasler <john@dhh.gt.org>]

Richard Braakman writes:
> Also, it seems to permit distribution of derived works BUT NOT verbatim
> copies ("nontransferable license"), which is weird.

It certainly is weird.

And quotes:

> 1. STANFORD grants to LICENSEE a nonexclusive and nontransferable license
> to use, copy and modify the computer software ``mrouted'' (hereinafter
> called the ``Program''),...

I don't understand the point in declaring the license "nontransferable".
That only makes sense if you are selling licenses.

> ...upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set out and until Licensee
> discontinues use of the Licensed Program.

This would seem to say that you can only have a license if you are *using*
the program.  Thus Debian would not be allowed to distribute mrouted unless
we installed the thing on our servers.  Non-free.

> LICENSEE may copy the Program and may sublicense others to use object
> code copies of the Program or any derivative version of the Program.

So we would be allowed to distribute binaries built from unmodified or
unmodified source, but not the source itself.  Non-free.

> At the time LICENSEE provides a copy of a derivative version of the
> Program to a third party, LICENSEE shall provide STANFORD with one copy
> of the source code of the derivative version at no charge to STANFORD.

This would appear to say that every single time someone downloads the .deb
from ftp.debian.org, we must send off another copy of the source to
Stanford.  Non-free.

This not the most well drafted license I have seen.  I doubt that it says
what Stanford meant it to say.
-- 
John Hasler
john@dhh.gt.org (John Hasler)
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, WI