Re: Is Sun's new license compatible with the MPL?

Jimmy Cerra wrote:
> Right now, I released a project under the GPL [1], but I'm considering 
> relicensing it under a tri-license GPL/LGPL/MPL.  What are the 
> advantages of this?

Your code could be included in Mozilla/Firefox/Thunderbird :-)

Tri-licensing is the right option when you want your code to be easily 
usable by GPLed projects, LGPLed projects and MPLed projects. (You 
cannot normally combine MPLed code and GPLed or LGPLed code.)

Having it under the MPL as well as GPL or LGPL is good if you are happy 
for people to be able to make semi-proprietary apps from your code - 
e.g. as Netscape 7 is to the Mozilla Suite.

> I'm also considering CDDL, Sun's new license [2] which is based on the 
> MPL.  Is it compatible with the MPL?  What are the advantages of using 
> the MPL verses the CDDL?

I would advise against using the CDDL at the very least until it's 
finished and has been certified as open-source compatible. Someone might 
then write a detailed description of the differences from the MPL.

I do not know if it's compatible with the MPL; I haven't considered the 
question. I know mozilla.org wouldn't accept CDDLed code into the 
respository "because it's just like the MPL" - we'd need to examine the 
license very carefully first.

Tri-licensing with the CDDL is harder because they've removed the 
specific provisions about tri-licensing, so there's no default 
boilerplate text. You can of course still tri-license, but you'd need to 
write your own legalese.

Gerv