Re: Advice on wicd license
David Paleino <d.paleino@gmail.com> writes:
> I'm packaging wicd for Debian, and it's licensed under GPL-2+. However, one of
> its components ("uninstall.sh") carries this license:
>
> # Copyright 2008 Robby Workman <rworkman@slackware.com>, Northport, AL, USA
> # Copyright 2008 Alan Hicks <alan@slackware.com>, Lizella, GA, USA
> # All rights reserved.
This is redundant and confusing. Taken literally, it contradicts a
grant of any license. It would be best for the copyright holder to
remove this, since clearly they don't want to reserve *all* rights;
they explicitly grant some of them unilaterally to the recipient.
> # Redistribution and use of this script, with or without modification, is
> # permitted
Grants everything needed to be DFSG, so long as the restrictions don't
take it back.
> provided that the following conditions are met:
> #
> # 1. Redistributions of this script must retain the above copyright
> # notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
This conditions is fine by the DFSG, and it also doesn't require
redistribution under the same license terms; therefore, the combined
work can be licensed under the GPL.
> # THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
> # WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
> # MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
[…]
Standard warrantly disclaimer for free software, in unfortunate SHOUTY
CAPITALS. No impact on DFSG-freedom or GPL compatibility, so fine.
> "Redistribution [..] with or without modification, is permitted"
> seems a "free" (as in speech) statement
The whole license is effectively identical to the terms of the Expat
license <URL:http://www.jclark.com/xml/copying.txt>.
The FSF expressly state that works licensed under the terms of the
Expat license are GPL-compatible (meaning you can redistribute a
derived work under the terms of the GPL)
<URL:http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#Expat>.
> but that "All rights reserved" scaries me...
You're right, and it should best be removed by the copyright holder.
You might like to communicate with them if possible to get it removed,
for maximum clarity of license terms.
--
\ “Are you pondering what I'm pondering?” “I think so, Brain, but |
`\ why would anyone want a depressed tongue?” —_Pinky and The |
_o__) Brain_ |
Ben Finney
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