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Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 10:49:41 -0400
From: "Etienne M. Gagnon" <address@hidden>
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To: Bryce McKinlay <address@hidden>
CC: address@hidden
Subject: Re: Sablepath packages available to download
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Bryce McKinlay wrote:
> Sounds cool. I'm sure we'd all be grateful if you would consider
> migrating your build changes/improvements and directory layout cleanups
> back into classpath at some point?
I would like to do so, but the Classpath project has yet to accept my
offer to contribute my modifications under my own Copyright (but
identical license).
Talking of license... Richard M. Stallman has confirmed to me that the
Classpath (GNU+Excp) license is NOT a "copyleft" license. In other words:
1- One can download the Classpath
2- modify it locally
3- license the modifications under GPL+exp (locally, not obligation to
re-distribute)
4- link the modified classpath with proprietary modules to create an
executable
5- distribute/Sell the executable without distributing the sources of
Classpath nor the modifications. In fact, there's even no obligation to
disclose that Classpath was ever used. In other words, the current
Classpath license is weaker than the BSD license (without adv. clause)!
This contradicts clearly the motivation that lead to change Classpath's
license from LGPL to GPL+Excep. When I and other had ask questions
about the GPL+Excp. on this list, the reply was to say that it was
equivalent to the LGPL, minor the "re-linking requirement". RMS
confirms that this is not the case.
I personally have trouble to license my code under a license that does
not force a third party to redistribute the source code of "my
contribution" along an executable derived from my work. I think most
Classpath contributors share the same feelings.
So, if you like my work, and you would like me to contribute directly to
Classpath, please pressure your leaders for:
1- Accepting contributions without copyright assignment, and
2- Change the license to a "weak copyleft" license [LGPL + exception
about re-linking requirement? or something along my earlier suggestions
on the matter?].
Etienne
--
Etienne M. Gagnon http://www.info.uqam.ca/~egagnon/
SableVM: http://www.sablevm.org/
SableCC: http://www.sablecc.org/
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