[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: Bug#254596: jftpgw: Several license problems



Romain Francoise wrote:

> Package: jftpgw
> Version: 0.13.5-1
> Severity: serious
> 
> The jftpgw package currently distributed in Debian has two license
> problems:
> 
> 1. The source contains a file named snprintf.c that doesn't contain any
>    copyright notice or license header.  It appears to be copied verbatim
>    from the Mutt distribution, which it itself under the GPL, so it may
>    be a non-issue, but I think a clarification could be useful.
> 
>    (Moreover, I think the libc functions could be used instead.)
Should be used instead.  Unless snprintf.c is functionally different from
the libc version, it's just a waste of space for Debian.

> 2. The source contains a file named rel2abs.c under the 4-clause BSD
>    license (copied here in full):
> 
<snip>

>    Clause #3 (advertising clause) is not compatible with the GNU GPL
>    under which the rest of the program is distributed, hence making the
>    whole thing impossible to distribute.  Please ask the original author
>    to relicense the file under a 3-clause BSD license,
Or 2-clause BSD. (For that, drop clause 3 *and* drop clause 4, which is
redundant with the 'right of publicity' in all known jurisdictions).

>    or replace the 
>    offending code with replacements under a compatible license.
> 
> Both files provide functions used elsewhere in the program and don't
> constitute mere source aggregation.
> 
> CC'ing upstream author and debian-legal for comments.

Your analysis is correct.  :-)

-- 
There are none so blind as those who will not see.



Reply to: