On Mon, Aug 26, 2002 at 12:54:18AM -0700, ivan@420.am wrote: > Is this license considered DFSG free? The part that seems like it might > be troublesome is the "The author makes no representations of possessing > full or partial copyright to the LRC code nor the algorythyms used in this > module, as said is either public knowledge or inspired by multiple > sources." Well, I would suggest that we correct his spelling mistakes. The word is "algorithm". On a more substantive note, the statement you quote does not make the license DFSG-free. The author appears to be proceeding from a misunderstanding about how copyrights work, and what they apply to. (Copyrights don't apply to algorithms, but to particular [original] expressions/implementations of algorithms.] > Full text of license follows: > > COPYRIGHT > > License to use this module/library and make use of in derivative works is > Ais granted to all, freely, provided that this module is identified as > "derived from R Padron" and notice of other contributors be provided in > any material referencing or mentioning this module. The author makes no > representations of possessing full or partial copyright to the LRC code > nor the algorythyms used in this module, as said is either public > knowledge or inspired by multiple sources. > > LRC algorithms taken from combination of sources: > 1. Public Specifications, EIS 1081, San Francisco, CA: > Visa, 1999 > > 2. QWEST Communications, Inc. Tech Publication 77359, > Module 5, Issue 1, October 2001. pg 36. > > 3. Tanenbaum, A. S., Computer Networks, 3rd ed. > pp. 186-190Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Vrije Univ., 1996. > > The module is inspired by the previous uses the author has had for > the LRC generation algorythm; Inspiration for and partial code snippets > for initial value and lrc generation of file data provided from > Soenke J. Peters' String::CRC32. > > The author makes no representations concerning either the merchantability > of this software or the suitability of this software for any particular > purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty of > any kind. > > These notices must be retained in any copies of any part of this > documentation and/or software. There is no permission to modify granted here. The license thus fails DFSG 3 if the code is not in the public domain, which is unclear. I suggest contacting the author and recommending a 2-clause BSD license. That license would appear to be wholly congruent with his intentions. Copyright (C) R Padron. All rights reserved. Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution. THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. -- G. Branden Robinson | Debian GNU/Linux | "Bother," said Pooh, as he was branden@debian.org | assimilated by the Borg. http://people.debian.org/~branden/ |
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