On Friday 08 June 2007 03:29, Ryan Novosielski wrote: > Kern Sibbald wrote: > > On Thursday 07 June 2007 22:27, John Stoffel wrote: > >> Kern> As you probably know, Bacula is released with a modified GNU GPL > >> Kern> licence. The Bacula license modifies the GPL to permit Bacula > >> Kern> to link to OpenSSL. This was necessary because using MySQL > >> Kern> libraries requires OpenSSL. This modification was suggested by > >> Kern> Debian to bring Bacula in compliance with their procedures. > >> > >> Sounds good so far. > >> > >> Kern> The problem comes from including pure GNU GPL code, which is not > >> Kern> compatible with the OpenSSL license, inside Bacula itself (there > >> Kern> are something like 8 such files). This works in the same way > >> Kern> that Debian would not allow Bacula as pure GNU GPL to link with > >> Kern> OpenSSL. If Bacula uses any pure GNU GPL code then that code > >> Kern> cannot be subject to the GNU GPL modifications, and that code > >> Kern> technically cannot linked and distributed with Bacula because of > >> Kern> OpenSSL. > >> > >> So which 8 files are these and can they be re-written? Maybe I'm > >> misunderstanding what you mean by "Pure GPL" code? > > > > By pure GPL code, I meant code that has a non-modified GPL license (and is > > copyrighted by other people). > > > >> Are these files > >> from software released by the GNU organization? > >> > >> Kern> I suspect that a lot of GPL projects are in a similar situation, > >> Kern> but they do not explicitly point out the exception as Bacula > >> Kern> does. The real bummer here is that this issue was flagged by > >> Kern> someone involved in the Fedora packaging process. From what I > >> Kern> understand (I may be wrong here), Fedora and hence Red Hat will > >> Kern> not use Bacula because it uses some pure GPL code and OpenSSL > >> Kern> together raising potential license problems -- after the > >> Kern> problems with SCO and threats from Microsoft, their license > >> Kern> concerns are quite understandable. > >> > >> Sure, I can understand this. > >> > >> Kern> This is not a show-stopping issue because at least for the > >> Kern> moment, no author of pure GNU GPL code is lodging a complaint. > >> Kern> In addition as I mentioned in a previous email, this issue could > >> Kern> potentially be resolved by GPL v3 (due at the end of the month, > >> Kern> if I remember right) because it is compatible with the Apache > >> Kern> license, which is apparently what OpenSSL uses. > >> > >> Yup, Openssl uses the Apache license. > >> > >> Kern> In the mean time, until this problem is resolved, I've freezed > >> Kern> all inclusion of new GPL code (copyrighted by others) in Bacula. > >> > >> So basically, you're saying that people who contribute code to bacula > >> under the GPL license (which is what they need to do to get it > >> distributed) can't contribute anymore? > >> > >> Kern> The really complicated aspect of the above is that if you build > >> Kern> a program such as Bacula using all your own code, and you use > >> Kern> OpenSSL then in linking it, you just happen to drag some GPL'ed > >> Kern> code from some library directly into your binary (most > >> Kern> libararies are shared objects so do not become part of your > >> Kern> binary), as is the case with the statically linked Bacula used > >> Kern> in the rescue package, you are in violation of the GPL if you > >> Kern> distribute such a binary. > >> > >> Ah... now I see, it's the static linking part which causes the > >> problems. > >> > >> Kern> It seems that the only solution is that if you use GPL code, you > >> Kern> must use *all* GPL compatible code (not so easy), and if you > >> Kern> don't use it, you shouldn't even use the system libraries if > >> Kern> there is any chance they could be accidentally linked into your > >> Kern> program. > >> > >> It's an interesting point for sure. In this case, it all hinges on > >> the OpenSSL people and their use of the Apache license. Which I would > >> assume would actually be a bigger issue since Apache uses that license > >> and I'm SURE that there are alot more Apache setups out there than > >> Bacula. > >> > >> So how does Debian/Fedora work around Apache using the MySQL libraries > >> with the openssl stuff? Or do they just punt because Apache (as they > >> distribute it) only does dynamic linking? > >> > >> Honestly, I think you're over-reacting here to closing down > >> submissions from people. > > > > I never said that I was closing down submissions from people. I said that I > > was not accepting any GPL'ed code. Submissions come from people who have > > transferred their copyright. > > Would this only, the, apply to programmers who had written something > previously that was applicable to backups and then inserted into Bacula, > or perhaps situations in which people wrote code that was intended for > Bacula, but then instead of just making it part of the Bacula project, > they independently copyrighted it?
There is no problem with code written by a Bacula developer who submits it because he has filled out a FLA (i.e. transferred the copyright to FSFE). The problem is in taking code developped by other people that is copyrighted by them and using that code in Bacula without having a copyright assignment. > > It's unclear to me what a developer would need to do differently. > Granted this doesn't matter a whole lot to me as I don't really do any > programming, but I'm curious as the explanation is a little confusing. > I'm not sure if that's just me since I'm unfamiliar with this stuff, or > whether it's the description. Yes, I agree the whole thing is confusing and frustrating. > > Thanks! > > -- > ---- _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ > |Y#| | | |\/| | \ |\ | | |Ryan Novosielski - Systems Programmer III > |$&| |__| | | |__/ | \| _| |[EMAIL PROTECTED] - 973/972.0922 (2-0922) > \__/ Univ. of Med. and Dent.|IST/AST - NJMS Medical Science Bldg - C630 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ _______________________________________________ Bacula-users mailing list Bacula-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bacula-users
