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

Re: Question about license compatibility



On Thursday 21 July 2005 04:49 pm, Gerasimos Melissaratos wrote:
> X-Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs-MailScanner: Found to be clean
> X-MailScanner-From: gmelis@mfa.gr

> I'd like to create a package for ng-spice, which seems to be governed by
> two licenses, which I include herein. In first reading I cannot see any
> real discrepancies, but of course IANAL. Pls tell me if any of them is
> compatible with DFSG.

I'm surprised no one has responded to this yet...  so I guess I'll get the 
ball rolling.  Its my opinion that both licenses are non-free, for reasonably 
well established and non-controversial reasons.

License 1 contains a limitation on use ("educational, research and non-profit 
purposes, without fee") which is a violation of DFSG #6.  License 2 is less 
obvious, but I personally believe that a provision that forbids charging a 
fee for distribution is non-free, or at least bad policy.  Certainly having a 
package that prohibits charging for distribution would prevent it from being 
on a Debian CD sold by one of the vendors.  Based on the DFSG I'd have to 
point to #1 and #6...  but both are kind of stretches.

Anyone else have thoughts?

-- 
Sean Kellogg
3rd Year - University of Washington School of Law
Graduate & Professional Student Senate Treasurer
UW Service & Activities Committee Interim Chair 
w: http://probonogeek.blogspot.com

So, let go
 ...Jump in
  ...Oh well, what you waiting for?
   ...it's all right
    ...'Cause there's beauty in the breakdown



Reply to: