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Re: Bug#498477: GPL-compatiblity of python licenses



severity 498857 important
severity 498477 important
thanks

> I don't know the real implication on the license

if you're unsure then don't make it RC in the first place

> reopen 498857
> reopen 498477
> thanks
> 
> OoO En  cette nuit nuageuse du  vendredi 19 septembre  2008, vers 00:53,
> Thomas Viehmann <tv@beamnet.de> disait=A0:
> 
> > Hi Vincent,
> > thanks for looking into licensing issues in Debian.
> 
> > How exactly is the python license GPL-incompatible?
> 
> > If you scroll down a screen or two on the license[1] and move your
> > attention to the right column, you will find the assertion that all
> > recent versions of python have a GPL-compatible license, even indicating
> > where the FSF's opinion differs from the python copyright holders.
> > In particular, all python versions from oldstable onwards are
> > undisputedly GPL-compatible.
> 
> Hi Thomas!
> 
> I did  not say  that python license  is GPL-incompatible. There  are two
> problems:
>  - the  fact that readline.so  module is linked  to GNU Readline  is not
>    mentioned  in debian/copyright where  it should  because if  the user
>    uses  this module in  some non-GPL  work and  distribute it,  it will
>    break GPL because GNU Readline is GPL.
>  - _ssl.so  is linked  with OpenSSL and  hence is incompatible  with GPL
>    without an exception that is  not granted in GNU Readline. Therefore,
>    a program cannot  be linked to both readline.so  and _ssl.so.
> 
> GPL compatibility only  says that you can mix Python  code with GPL code
> and get a valid GPL  code (first footnote in debian/copyright highlights
> the  meaning of  "GPL  compatible"). Python  license  is GPL  compatible
> however  not every  piece of  Python is  licensed under  Python license.
> debian/copyright  contains  some  exceptions.   readline.so  is  another
> exception that should be noted in debian/copyright.
> 
> The rest of the world don't believe there is no problem with this. Apple
> removed GNU Readline of its  Python and replaced it with editline (which
> causes some incompatibilities).
> 
> About the second  problem, as both readline.so and  _ssl.so are optional
> module, I am not  really sure if this is a serious  problem or if a note
> could be dropped in debian/copyright about the fact that a program using
> both _ssl.so and readline.so cannot be distributed.
> 
> I am putting debian-legal@ in copy  to those bugs to get some additional
> insights on this matter. I am not a lawyer.
> =2D-=20
> I WILL NOT AIM FOR THE HEAD
> I WILL NOT AIM FOR THE HEAD
> I WILL NOT AIM FOR THE HEAD
> =2D+- Bart Simpson on chalkboard in episode 8F13
> 


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