MJ Ray writes: > On 2004-09-14 12:25:41 +0100 Matthew Garrett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > As a non-strictly related point, both the FSF and the OSI appear to > > consider clauses of this nature free. [...] > > On what do you base this opinion?
Both groups list significant numbers licenses as free that terminate on patent litigation: * The Academic Free License (version 1.1 for the FSF, several newer versions for the OSI). * The Open Software License (version 1.0 for the FSF, and obviously all versions for the OSI). * The Apache Software License, version 2.0 (for both). * The IBM Public License, version 1.0 (and the similar-looking Common Public License, version 1.0). * The Mozilla Public License, version 1.1 (and its related licenses). * The Apple Public Source License, version 2.0 (for both). >From the FSF's commentary on the Academic Free License at http://www.fsf.org/licenses/license-list.html: Another incompatibility comes from its "Mutual termination for Patent Action" clause. Putting aside the difficult question of whether this sort of clause is a good idea or a bad one, it is incompatible with the GPL. And on Apache Software License 2.0: We don't think those patent termination cases are inherently a bad idea, but nonetheless they are incompatible with the GNU GPL. Michael Poole
