On Tue, 02 Jul 2013 18:40:11 +0200 Florian Weimer wrote: > * Paul Tagliamonte: > > > On Tue, Jul 02, 2013 at 09:44:10AM +0200, Ondřej Surý wrote: > >> Florian Weimer has correctly pointed out that Oracle has decided to change the > >> BDB 6.0 license to AGPLv3 (https://oss.oracle.com/pipermail/bdb/2013-June/ > >> 000056.html). This hasn't been reflected in release tarball (probably by > >> mistake), but since the AGPLv3 is not very friendly to downstream projects, we > >> (as the Debian project) need to take a decision. > > > > What? Wait, What? What?[1] > > > > The AGPL is a DFSG free FSF approved and OSI approved free software > > license? We made a decision, it's *free software* and fit for main. For the record, I personally disagree with the FTP masters' decision to accept works licensed under the terms of the GNU AfferoGPL v3 into main: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=495721#28 But that's my own opinion, of course. > > The problems start when random, network-enabled, but non-web stuff > switches over to the AGPL *without* implementing the Quine required by > the license (which is somewhat difficult to do for a library, but at > least there could be a "give me a tarball" interface). That makes it > difficult to perform local changes and stay in compliance with the > license because you have to build the source code distribution > mechanism from scratch and design a process that ensures the sources > and running binaries match at all times. This is indeed one of the issues of the GNU AfferoGPL v3. There are other issues, as well. My own analysis is here: https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2007/11/msg00233.html If those issues don't make people consider AfferoGPLv3-licensed works as non-free, I think this license should at least be considered as problematic. Especially when a fairly widely used *library* switches from a *permissive non-copyleft* license to a *highly restrictive* one (such as the GNU AfferoGPL v3), I think the change should *not* be neglected or taken lightly... -- http://www.inventati.org/frx/frx-gpg-key-transition-2010.txt New GnuPG key, see the transition document! ..................................................... Francesco Poli . GnuPG key fpr == CA01 1147 9CD2 EFDF FB82 3925 3E1C 27E1 1F69 BFFE
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