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From: Michael Olbrich <m.olbrich@pengutronix.de>
To: ptxdist@pengutronix.de
Subject: Re: [ptxdist] [PATCH 2/2] doc: working with licensing information in packages
Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 14:03:00 +0200	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <20200529120300.GI31789@pengutronix.de> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20200529094049.d4swrepaaruogkbv@pengutronix.de>

On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 11:40:49AM +0200, Roland Hieber wrote:
> On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 10:55:57AM +0200, Michael Olbrich wrote:
> > On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 10:27:04AM +0200, Roland Hieber wrote:
> > > On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 08:23:46AM +0200, Michael Olbrich wrote:
> > > > On Mon, May 11, 2020 at 12:03:06PM +0200, Roland Hieber wrote:
> > > > > +License versions, and GPL-vv-only or GPL-vv-or-later?
> > > > > +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > > > +
> > > > > +If the ``COPYING`` file is a GPL text, it is still uncertain if the correct
> > > > > +license identifier is *GPL-vv-only* or *GPL-vv-or-later*.
> > > > > +The GPL text itself does not give information on that in its terms and
> > > > > +conditions.
> > > > > +Sometimes there is a notice at the top of the COPYING or the README file stating
> > > > > +whether *"-only"* or *"-or-later"* applies – this is the easy case.
> > > > > +Otherwise: check headers in relevant files.
> > > > > +
> > > > > +If no license information can be found, but one file mentions e.g. *"GPL-vv or
> > > > > +later"*, use that information for the whole project.
> > > > > +E.g.: no license information can be found except a ``COPYING`` which contains
> > > > > +a GPL-2.0 text → the license is GPL-2.0-only.
> > > > > +
> > > > > +Sometimes the best information available is statements like
> > > > > +*"this code is under GPL"* without any version information.
> > > > > +Such cases should be interpreted as the most liberal reading,
> > > > > +i.e. *GPL-1.0-or-later* (any possible GPL version).
> > > > 
> > > > I'm not sure this is good. I would say, when in doubt then be restrictive.
> > > > After all, this is about compliance. If we comply with the more restrictive
> > > > interpretation then we also comply with more liberal interpretations.
> > > 
> > > What would being restrictive look like? We don't have any good pointers
> > > as to what license to use here.
> > 
> > Use the version from the license text. Or are you saying there is no
> > license text as well? I'm not sure if that's even distributable. Do you
> > have an example for this?
> 
> https://git.pengutronix.de/cgit/rhi/ptxdist/commit/?h=6dc705e869353f24d3cd1be7698afcd119e8da95

"The whole package, starting with version 1.1.22, is distributed under·
the GNU GPL license, found in the accompanying file 'COPYING'."

And the COPYING file does not exist... But check the latest version: The
COPYING exist there and it's GPL-2.0 and with the wording above I'd say
GPL-2.0-only.

Michael

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  reply	other threads:[~2020-05-29 12:03 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 19+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2020-05-11 10:03 [ptxdist] [PATCH 1/2] doc: ref_make_variables: link to the SPDX license list Roland Hieber
2020-05-11 10:03 ` [ptxdist] [PATCH 2/2] doc: working with licensing information in packages Roland Hieber
2020-05-26 10:29   ` Roland Hieber
2020-05-26 11:12   ` Alexander Dahl
2020-05-29  6:23   ` Michael Olbrich
2020-05-29  8:27     ` Roland Hieber
2020-05-29  8:55       ` Michael Olbrich
2020-05-29  9:40         ` Roland Hieber
2020-05-29 12:03           ` Michael Olbrich [this message]
2020-05-31 19:56             ` Roland Hieber
2020-06-02 13:16               ` Michael Olbrich
2020-06-02 15:14                 ` Roland Hieber
2021-06-08 10:36 ` [ptxdist] [PATCH] " Roland Hieber
2021-06-16 14:19   ` Michael Olbrich
2021-06-16 14:40     ` Roland Hieber
2021-08-05  9:18     ` [ptxdist] [PATCH v3] " Roland Hieber
2021-08-06  6:29       ` Michael Olbrich
2021-08-06 10:44         ` [ptxdist] [PATCH] " Roland Hieber
2021-10-07 10:18           ` [ptxdist] [APPLIED] " Michael Olbrich

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