Re: [Toon-members] TooN license on Savannah

[E. Rosten]

On Wed, 5 May 2010, Simon Taylor wrote:

> Georg Klein wrote:
> > Hey folks,
> >
> > the savannah page still has TooN listed as LGPL, and this can't be
> > changed, you have to contact the savannah admins. Any objections to me
> > doing this?
>
> I'm not quite sure where Ed got the new TooN license from. I think the
> spirit of it is "if you use it unmodified then do whatever you want with
> it, but you must submit any modifications to us".

Ah yes you mentioned this a while back.

> However the TooN COPYING file says:
> ---
> [...GPL v2 blah...]
> As a special exception, you may use these files as part of a free
> software library without restriction. [...]
> ---

I interpreted that as long as you use the file *in a free software 
library* (ie the library is free) then you are not otherwise restricted. 
That may have been wishful reading on my part since that is more or less 
what I believe that the license authors meant.

> Note the *free software* in the last sentence, which seemingly forbids
> commercial use.

Even if not, then it seems that it is sufficiently ambiguous that we must 
use a different license.

> It seems to me the exception we want is the same as the GNU Classpath
> (Java base classes):
>
> Linking this library statically or dynamically with other modules is
> making a combined work based on this library. Thus, the terms and
> conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination.
>
> As a special exception, the copyright holders of this library give you
> permission to link this library with independent modules to produce an
> executable, regardless of the license terms of these independent
> modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting executable under terms
> of your choice, provided that you also meet, for each linked independent
> module, the terms and conditions of the license of that module. An
> independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on
> this library. If you modify this library, you may extend this exception
> to your version of the library, but you are not obligated to do so. If
> you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.
>
> http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/license.html

Looks like it is a good fit.

> I suppose one could argue that as TooN is all templates, the terminology
> of "linking this library" doesn't really apply though.


I looked at the LGPL V3. It is much shorter than the old GPL or LGPL. I 
don't really understand clause 2. Clause 3 says that (for TooN at any 
rate):

a) Give prominent notice with each copy of the object code that the 
Library is used in it and that the Library and its use are covered by this 
License.

OK, that's fine. Even the BSD license says the copyright notice must be 
preserved. Though I'm not sure what counts as prominent. It also says:

b) Accompany the object code with a copy of the GNU GPL and this license 
document.

So, your code (ie not TooN) may be conveyed "under terms of your choice", 
but you have to include a copy of the LGPL and GPL for reference. I 
believe that you have to include the GPL because of clause 2 says it can 
always be relicensed under the GPL.


Other than that, the LGPL3 is simple.

Any more thoughts?

-Ed


--
(You can't go wrong with psycho-rats.)(http://mi.eng.cam.ac.uk/~er258)

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