Re: Is the Sun RPC License DFSG-free?
IANAL, TINLA, IANADD
But here is my blow by blow interpretation, which makes glibc DFSG free.
On Fri, Aug 22, 2003 at 06:39:47AM +0000, Brian M. Carlson wrote:
>
> Copyright (C) 1984, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
>
> Sun RPC is a product of Sun Microsystems, Inc. and is
> provided for unrestricted use provided that this legend is
> included on all tape media
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is a standard clause, which *does* refer to external, human
readable text on the media containing the work in question. /me
thinks that at some point in time, some legal jurisdiction had
(or still has) a legal theory that the license or copyright does
not stick, unless it is clearly visible to whomever picks up the
tape or CD and considers putting it in the machine.
However I think it is commonly acceptable practice to just
include a summary label like: "Debian is Copyright (C) 19xx,2003
by many contributors, see the /usr/share/doc/*/copyright files
inside for details and restrictions". (Where 19xx is the oldest
copyright year of any included files with non-expired
copyright).
> and as a part of the software
> program in whole or part. Users may copy or modify Sun RPC
> without charge,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That usually means you don't have to pay Sun for the privilege, good!
> but are not authorized to license or
> distribute it to anyone else except as part of a product or
> program developed by the user.
I interpret that to mean that once the RPC code has been
included in a larger program or product (say glibc), then the
further use,distribution etc. of that program is only restricted
by the license applied thereto by that user (in this case the
LGPL applied thereto by the FSF).
Thus this only sticks if you seperate Sun RPC from glibc without
putting it in another program (as you do if linking statically
to glibc and only Sun RPC happens to be extracted from the .a
file).
Thus for the RPC in glibc this restriction only applies if you
manually extract Sun RPC from glibc and then try to distribute
that all alone. The right to do that is NOT required by DFSG 1.
>
> SUN RPC IS PROVIDED AS IS WITH NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND
> INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF DESIGN, MERCHANTIBILITY AND
> FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF
> DEALING, USAGE OR TRADE PRACTICE.
>
> Sun RPC is provided with no support and without any
> obligation on the part of Sun Microsystems, Inc. to assist in
> its use, correction, modification or enhancement.
>
> SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT
> TO THE INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHTS, TRADE SECRETS OR ANY
> PATENTS BY SUN RPC OR ANY PART THEREOF.
>
> In no event will Sun Microsystems, Inc. be liable for any
> lost revenue or profits or other special, indirect and
> consequential damages, even if Sun has been advised of the
> possibility of such damages.
>
Just the usual warranty disclaimer.
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