Re: FLTK License
On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:54:00 +0000
MJ Ray <mjr@phonecoop.coop> wrote:
> "Giacomo A. Catenazzi" <cate@debian.org> wrote: [...]
> > - It seems it to fail the "desert island" test
>
> This is not in itself a problem, but usually suggests it fails DFSG 1,
> 3, 5, 6 and/or 7 in some combination.
>
> However, the FLTK License only *requests* contribution. It does not
> require it, so I think it doesn't fail the test anyway.
>
> > - Is it linkable to GPL programs?
> > I don't think so, because extra restrictions.
>
> What extra restrictions? The exceptions looked like actual
> exceptions, assuming that "identify their use of FLTK" is in the
> LGPL-2.1... which it appears to be, in section 1.
>
> So I think libfltk2 and libfltk1.1 packages could meet the DFSG.
If I understand it well; the amendments of the LGPL are not removable
(it is not explicitly said to be removable so by default it is not).
But It seems then that this license might in fact be incompatible with
the LPGL. In particular it prevents to relicence FLTK under the pure GPL
which is normally allowed by the LGPL. Any derivative works of FLTK have
to be distributed with the additional permissions and that make it
incompatible with the GPL; because cannot distribute a derivative work
of FLTK + A ; where A is a GPL licensed software with the special
exceptions. You cannot grant the extra permissions to A but in the other
hand you are obliged to do it by the FLTK license.
To prevent such problems, when the FSF want to make additional
permissions; they explicit said that you can remove the special
exceptions; which avoid such problems. But it does not seems the case
here.
Anyway it seems that the license remains free but is confusing...
Olive
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