Hi Wei, I was talking with some folks who are interested in using Crypto++. They are slightly confused by the license - specifically, use of the word "compilation" and its meaning in legal terms. Here's the way the discussion carried on.
"A distinction is made between the library as a compilation (i.e., collection) .... and the individual files in it, which are public domain." (website) - Wei Dai is retaining copyright over all files that make up Crypto+ +. If one or more files are missing from the collection of all files, Dai is not asserting his copyright. Dai is retaining copyright on the single ZIP file which contains the collection of all files. "The library is copyrighted as a compilation in order to place certain disclaimers...." (website) - Wei Dai is asserting copyright over the output of the compilation and link process. It is unclear whether the assertion applies to all resulting bianaries (for example, a DLL or LIB produced from the sources by a programmer) or just the FIPS DLL (which [presumably] Dai produced himself). "... compilation in any form, except in object code, ...." (license text) - Wei Dai is asserting his copyright on the collection of all source files, and the resulting binary. Dai is not asserting the right for intermediate files of the compilation process: the object files (*.o). "...If this compilation is used in object code form in an application software..." (license text) - Wei Dai is not asserting his copyright on intermediate files of the compilation process (object files, *.o). A LIB is a collection of intermediate object files, so Dai is not retaining copyright on a LIB. However, Dai retains copyright over a DLL since the resuting binary is not intermediate an can be executed. It seems the word compilation can be misinterpreted as "resulting binary". Would you be able to clarify the use of "compilation'? Jeff -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "Crypto++ Users" Google Group. To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected]. More information about Crypto++ and this group is available at http://www.cryptopp.com.
