Re: Should we change our license from CollabNet -> Apache like Subversion?

On Jul 27, 2009, at 7:34 AM, Michael Haggerty wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I just noticed that the Subversion project has changed its license  
> from
> the CollabNet license to the Apache license.  Somehow I missed any
> discussion about the change so I don't know what motivated it.
>
> Should cvs2svn do the same?
>
> I would support the change, if for no other reason than to reduce the
> confusing diversity of open-source licenses.
>
> Who could even make this decision?  What would it involve?

Do I even need to say "IANAL"? No, thought not ... But to the best of  
my understanding:

The Subversion license is controlled by the Subversion Corporation, a  
body legally constituted for purposes such as this (and consisting of  
the committers to the project). CollabNet helped to create this body,  
and formally relinquished rights to it, several years ago. The license  
change is much more recent, but is part of the same on-going "coming  
of age" of the Subversion project, stepping away from the support of  
CollabNet and standing on its own. There certainly has been a lot of  
talk about moving the Subversion project off Tigris, and onto  
Apache.Org; it wouldn't surprise me if that sentiment were a part of  
the license change (but, like you, I missed the actual discussion of  
the matter).

I don't know the legal status of cvs2svn. Since I believe that it was  
originally a part of Subversion proper, the answer might depend on  
when it was separated out from Subversion proper: if it was still part  
of Subversion at the time the Corporation was  formed, then I would  
imagine any questions about this would be between cvs2svn and  
Subversion, rather than CollabNet. OTOH, if cvs2svn split first, then  
legally speaking we might have to form a "Cvs2svn Corporation" in  
order to have someone to whom CollabNet might relinquish rights.



-==-
Jack Repenning
Chief Technology Officer
CollabNet, Inc.
8000 Marina Boulevard, Suite 600
Brisbane, California 94005
office: +1 650.228.2562
twitter: http://twitter.com/jrep

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