Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 20:42:49 -0400 From: Chuck Swiger <cswiger@mac.com> To: Danny Pansters <danny@ricin.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: [FYI] QT4 licensing looks very bad for *BSD Message-ID: <42C34009.2080101@mac.com> In-Reply-To: <200506300127.00983.danny@ricin.com> References: <200506291330.56499.danny@ricin.com> <42C2B47D.7050302@mac.com> <200506300127.00983.danny@ricin.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Danny Pansters wrote: > Hey Chuck, thanks for answering. No problem. (I'm not completely convinced this thread belongs on freebsd-questions, but I don't know where else to move it to. :-) Anyway, I contacted someone at TrollTech with pretty much what I said in my last email, and got a positive response that they would look into this. My impression is that their download page reflects a somewhat clumsy explanation of what the GPL requires for derivative works, rather than an attempt by TrollTech to force other people to use the GPL. -- -Chuck From: info@trolltech.com Subject: Re: [Issue N77189] QT4 Open Source compliance... In-reply-to: <42C2BB0A.5050705@mac.com> To: Chuck Swiger <cswiger@mac.com> Cc: info@trolltech.com Message-id: <20050629185029.63912559@esparsett.troll.no> [ ... ] > If one were to write your own program, and use it with QT in a fashion > which results in a derivative work, then one may not redistribute the > program without complying with the terms of the GPL. Exactly. Deriving from Qt and QSA is all you do when you use it. > However, nothing in the GPL requires someone else's code to be > relicensed under the GPL, it simply requires that code to be under a > GPL-miscable license. For instance, the "new" BSDL (ie, without the > advertizing clause) is fine, as is the MIT/X11 license and others. We don't require this either: >>> Make the complete source code of your program available to all end >>> users Allow all users to re-use, modify and re-distribute the code >>> Give up your right to demand compensation for re-use and >>> re-distribution Add a notice to your program that it is GPL licensed >>> when it runs When you have end users, then you obviously redistributed it. Since the GPL is viral, you have to license under the GPL or a compatible license (which is what we mean when we says "GPL licensed"). [ ... ] ---------- and --------- Subject: Re: [Issue N77189] QT4 Open Source compliance... In-reply-to: <1B990F5E-DC99-438B-B640-21B11A13221E@mac.com> To: Charles Swiger <cswiger@mac.com> Cc: info@trolltech.com Message-id: <20050629195119.DCBF32A3@esparsett.troll.no> > The specific problem with OSD-compliance is this phrase: > > "Give up your right to demand compensation for re-use" Hello Chuck, thanks for clarifying, now I know what you are commenting on. > People can and do sell GPL'ed software all of the time. People can and > do sell services or charge usage fees for systems which use GPL'ed > software. > > What you cannot do with GPL'ed software is prevent someone you've sold > the software to from giving it away for free, if they so choose. And > once you've redistributed the software (in either source or binary > form), you must also make the complete source code available for free. I think you have a point, I'll pass this on to our legal department for review. >> When you have end users, then you obviously redistributed it. Since >> the GPL is viral, you have to license under the GPL or a compatible >> license (which is what we mean when we says "GPL licensed"). > > The GPL is "reciprocal" or "copyleft", yes. I would suggest there is a > significant difference between "you must use a GPL-compatible license > if you redistribute a binary containing Qt" and "you must license your > code under the GPL". I think the GPL is quite fuzzy when it comes to "inhouse development". But you are right, development itself does not constitute an act relevant for the GPL. I was oversimpifying :) Regards, Volker -- Volker Hilsheimer, Support Manager Trolltech AS, Waldemar Thranes gate 98, NO-0175 Oslo, Norway
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?42C34009.2080101>