GPL violation in shadow? (was: Re: Bug#244297: Still in license violation. (was: Re: Bug#244297 acknowledged by developer (Bug#244297: fixed in shadow 1:4.0.3-29)))

[Robert Millan <zeratul2@wanadoo.es>]

Hello,

This seems like a GPL violation. The debian version of "shadow" package
includes GPLed code from GNU su. This is allowed since shadow's license is
3-clausse BSD (GPL-compatible) but it looks to me that we aren't complying
with Section 2 of the GPL which requires that the whole modified work is
relicensed.

Please could you have a look at the license references in package shadow
(version 4.0.3-29)? I believe [shadow]/src/su.c and [shadow]/debian/copyright
indicate that the GPL terms only apply to the parts that were originaly GPL
and not the whole work.

Thanks.

On Sat, Jul 03, 2004 at 04:13:22PM -0400, kcr@debian.org wrote:
> close 244297
> thanks
> 
> No, I said
> 
> "/* Some parts substantially derived from an ancestor of: */"
> and then reproduced the gnu copyright message, which clearly applies to the
> whole work.
> 
> kcr
> 
> Robert Millan <zeratul2@wanadoo.es> writes:
> 
> > reopen 244297
> > thanks
> > 
> > You added a note to the license header in src/su.c explaining that the _parts_
> > borrowed from GNU su are licensed under the GPL. This is misleading, because
> > in order to comply with the license terms of GNU su, you have to relicense the
> > whole file under the GPL. Section 2 clearly states:
> > 
> >   "These requirements apply to the modified work as a whole."
> > 

-- 
Robert Millan

"[..] but the delight and pride of Aule is in the deed of making, and in the
thing made, and neither in possession nor in his own mastery; wherefore he
gives and hoards not, and is free from care, passing ever on to some new work."

 -- J.R.R.T., Ainulindale (Silmarillion)