Re: FW: Re: Proprietary Modules and GPL API (from postnuke devel list)
Chris Dudley <[email protected]>
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.cms.xaraya.curiosa |
|---|---|
| Organization | Xaraya News Server |
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
This thread has been linked to from pndev as apparent indication that Xaraya will be LGPL. Some of us did consider it, and dual licensing, as potential ideas to ensure that module developers could make their modules under whatever license they wished. Neither solution really solved that problem, and presented new ones. For instance we would have a problem LGPL'ing Xaraya since we incorporate code from several other GPL projects, ADODB and phpsniff to name but two. So we have decided not to proceed further down that path at this time. Xaraya will stay GPL. We will, however, be asking all core contributers to give Xaraya's parent legal entity - the Digital Development Foundation - non-exclusive use of their contributions so copyright, license and other legal issues are simpler to solve as the DDF would own all copyright on Xaraya code (obviously not the copyright for the other GPL products we incorporate though, just our own code). This is the process that the Apache Foundation uses. It ensures that the Xaraya community has the power to handle the code as it sees fit. Note its a non-exclusive license so the author would have the right to do whatever else they want to their submissions - make them available elsewhere, sell them under a different license or whatever. It also gives both Xaraya the product and the individual developers greater legal protection. http://incubator.apache.org/forms/ASF_Contributor_License_2_form.pdf (I've pasted the text below to save everyone digging through pdf's) The following article explains the main points of why many groups follow this process: http://www.fsf.org/licenses/why-assign.html Note: all DDF members have voted on this but it hasn't been implemented yet, but figured I'd keep people informed since people seem to be interested in these kind of debates :-) Hope that solves any confusion. miko ***** Agreement Follows: ***** You and the Foundation hereby accept and agree to the following terms and conditions: 1. Your "Contributions" means all of your past, present and future contributions of object code, source code and documentation to the Foundation, however submitted to the Foundation, excluding any submissions that are conspicuously marked or otherwise designated in writing by You as "Not a Contribution." 2. You hereby grant to the Foundation a non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide, no-charge, transferable copyright license to use, execute, prepare derivative works of, and distribute (internally and externally, in object code and, if included in your Contributions, source code form) your Contributions. Except for the rights granted to the Foundation in this paragraph, You reserve all right, title and interest in and to your Contributions. 3. You represent that you are legally entitled to grant the above license. If your employer(s) have rights to intellectual property that you create, you represent that you have received permission to make the Contributions on behalf of that employer, or that your employer has waived such rights for your Contributions to the Foundation. 4. You represent that, except as disclosed in your Contribution submission(s), each of your Contributions is your original creation. You represent that your Contribution submission(s) include complete details of any license or other restriction (including, but not limited to, related patents and trademarks) associated with any part of your Contribution(s) (including a copy of any applicable license agreement). You agree to notify the Foundation of any facts or circumstances of which you become aware that would make Your representations in this Agreement inaccurate in any respect. 5. You are not expected to provide support for your Contributions, except to the extent you desire to provide support. You may provide support for free, for a fee, or not at all. Your Contributions are provided as-is, with all faults, defects and errors, and without warranty of any kind (either express or implied) including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose and any warranty of non-infringement.