From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG  Thu Mar 12 07:56:39 2009
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 32E7F106567E;
	Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:56:39 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from rwatson@FreeBSD.org)
Received: from cyrus.watson.org (cyrus.watson.org [65.122.17.42])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0BD438FC1D;
	Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:56:39 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from rwatson@FreeBSD.org)
Received: from fledge.watson.org (fledge.watson.org [65.122.17.41])
	by cyrus.watson.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id B3C7846B32;
	Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:56:38 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:56:38 +0000 (GMT)
From: Robert Watson <rwatson@FreeBSD.org>
X-X-Sender: robert@fledge.watson.org
To: Saifi Khan <saifi.khan@twincling.org>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0903120841160.9463@localhost>
Message-ID: <alpine.BSF.2.00.0903120755130.61873@fledge.watson.org>
References: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0903111340230.5968@localhost>
	<012E1E4D-4C4E-414E-971E-ADCC48EB0698@mac.com>
	<Pine.LNX.4.64.0903120723130.9463@localhost>
	<20090312025921.GA17420@zim.MIT.EDU>
	<Pine.LNX.4.64.0903120841160.9463@localhost>
User-Agent: Alpine 2.00 (BSF 1167 2008-08-23)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Cc: David Schultz <das@FreeBSD.ORG>, freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: ASL 2.0 based software contribution to FreeBSD code base
X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current
	<freebsd-current.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-current>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-current-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-current>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-current@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-current-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-current>,
	<mailto:freebsd-current-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:56:39 -0000


On Thu, 12 Mar 2009, Saifi Khan wrote:

> On Wed, 11 Mar 2009, David Schultz wrote:
>
>> On Thu, Mar 12, 2009, Saifi Khan wrote:
>>> Is there anything specified in the FreeBSD project, that would prohibit 
>>> ASL 2.0 licensed device drivers from being used in the OS ?
>>
>> No, but core@ would have to approve it. I presume their decision would take 
>> into consideration technical justification, terms of the license, and how 
>> the proposed code interacts with other components in the base system.
>
> Great ! Thats very encouraging. Thanks Dave.
>
> System code (drivers included) released under standard ASL 2.0 license 
> should work.

If you submit components under the ASL license, they will not be accepted back 
into the base tree without the involvement of the FreeBSD Foundation lawyers 
and an administrative decision involving the core team.  This is expensive and 
time-consuming (generally a multi-month process to approve new licenses), and 
we would really all rather you didn't put us in the position of having to 
choose between adopting your software and saving a lot of time and money.  If 
you can use a BSD license, please do.

Robert N M Watson
Computer Laboratory
University of Cambridge