Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 01:42:38 -0500 (EST) From: "John S. Dyson" <dyson@FreeBSD.ORG> To: fullermd@futuresouth.com (Matthew D. Fuller) Cc: howardjp@dragon.ham.muohio.edu, mike@smith.net.au, dmaddox@scsn.net, grog@lemis.com, hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: The BSD License Message-ID: <199801300642.BAA09593@dyson.iquest.net> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.96.980129203238.4784D-100000@shell.futuresouth.com> from "Matthew D. Fuller" at "Jan 29, 98 08:34:20 pm"
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Matthew D. Fuller said: > On Thu, 29 Jan 1998, Jamie Howard wrote: > > > On Fri, 30 Jan 1998, Mike Smith wrote: > > > > > - If source code is not available and freely redistributable, it is > > > impossible for it to be included in the FreeBSD codebase. (This is > > > really a no-brainer). > > > > Hello, I've been lurking around this mailing list for a spell now and > > recently considered this question myself. I am confused by the above > > statement. Was Sun Microsystems legally bound to (a) make the source to > > SunOS available and (b) make the source code available for free? What > > about others like DEC and Ultrix or OSF/1 or NeXT and NeXTStep? > That's easy. > That's because FreeBSD requires that all source in the base OS is freely > distributable, so anything we add in has to be under such a license. > SunOS et al have no such restriction; they license their source out for > mega $, and aren't really under any compulsion to do so, other than the > fact that most people demand to at least be able to BUY the source. > (Not speaking officially for FreeBSD, but clarifying the apparent position that I see about myself and many other FreeBSD developers.) What you say above about FreeBSD is essentially true, but I would like to clarify one item. The FreeBSD team doesn't care if the FreeBSD code is redistributed by third parties with or without source. We also don't care if proprietary software is added to FreeBSD, and then redistributed with or without source. There are components that come with FreeBSD, not necessary for a basic runtime, that come under a GPL license, or other restrictive terms. In that case, one needs to be careful to meet the terms of such licensed software, but the FreeBSD team itself did not originate that code, and is under GPL or other terms, because of restrictions placed upon the software by other authors. -- John | Never try to teach a pig to sing, dyson@freebsd.org | it just makes you look stupid, jdyson@nc.com | and it irritates the pig.
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