Hi,
Back in September Paul Siegmann offered javax.servlet.* and
javax.servlet.http.* classes to the Classpath project. But since they were
not documented and you hadn't yet figured out what to do about standard
extensions to the base java api they were not included.
A couple of friends have a project that they want to release under GPL and
they cannot do that if they have to use the Sun implementation. Which is
not GPL compatible <http://java.sun.com/products/servlet/2.1/index.html>:
> Java Servlet Implementation Classes
>
> Version 2.1
>
> Binary Code License
> [...]
> 2. License to Distribute Servlet Classes. Licensee is granted a
> royalty-free right to reproduce and distribute the binary code form of
> the servlet classes contained in the Software in the archive file
> "servlet.jar" ("Servlet Classes"), provided that Licensee: (i)
> distributes the Servlet Classes complete and unmodified in their
> original Java Archive file, and only as a part of Licensee's application
> that incorporates the Servlet Classes ("Program"); (ii) does not
> distribute additional software intended to replace any components of the
> Servlet Classes; (iii) agrees to incorporate the most current version
> of the Servlet Classes that was available from Sun no later than 180
> days prior to each production release of Program; (iv) does not remove
> or alter any proprietary legends or notices contained in the Servlet
> Classes; (v) includes the provisions of Sections 3, 4, 6, 8, and 9 in
> Licensee's license agreement for the Program; and (vi) agrees to
> indemnify, hold harmless, and defend Sun and its licensors from and
> against any claims or lawsuits, including attorneys' fees, that arise or
> result from the use or distribution of the Software.
> [...]
This also seems the reason that the Free Software projects JigSaw and
Apache JServ don't include these classes.
If nobody is working on the java.servlet.* classes I want to adopt them,
implement the new classes and methods defined in the new 2.1
version of the Servlet Specification and write the documentation.
The only thing that worries me is the following text at
<http://java.sun.com/products/servlet/2.1/html/copyright.fm.html>:
> LICENSE
>
> Sun Microsystems, Inc. (SUN) hereby grants you at no charge a
> nonexclusive, nontransferable, worldwide, limited license (without the
> right to sublicense) under SUN's intellectual property rights that are
> essential to use the JavaTM Servlet API Specification ("Specification")
> for internal evaluation purposes only. Other than this limited license,
> you acquire no right, title, or interest in or to the Specification and
> you shall have no right to use the Specification for productive or
> commercial use.
Would implementing the specification be productive or commercial use?
Cheers,
Mark
P.S. The sources that Paul Siegmann published at
<http://www.euronet.nl/~pauls/classpath/> don't include a license or a
statement that the sources are placed in the public domain, so I am not
sure if I can just use them. Paul, if you are not going to work on these
classes, could you give me explicit permission to use them or release
them under the GPL?
