Hi, Aahit, Thank you for the information.
> For your understanding please read - "It depends on how the program invokes > its plug-ins. For instance, if the program uses only simple fork and exec to > invoke and communicate with plug-ins, then the plug-ins are separate > programs, so the license of the plug-in makes no requirements about the main > program. > If the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function calls to > each other and share data structures, we believe they form a single program, > which must be treated as an extension of both the main program and the > plug-ins. In order to use the GPL-covered plug-ins, the main program must be > released under the GPL or a GPL-compatible free software license, and that > the terms of the GPL must be followed when the main program is distributed > for use with these plug-ins." To further quote from the GPL FAQ [1]: "If the program dynamically links plug-ins, and they make function calls to each other and share data structures, we believe they form a single program, which must be treated as an extension of both the main program and the plug-ins. This means the plug-ins must be released under the GPL or a GPL-compatible free software license, and that the terms of the GPL must be followed when those plug-ins are distributed." According to this, the plugin would need to be licensed under either the GPL or "a GPL-compatible free software license". Because the FSF lists the Apache 2.0 license as being compatible with version 3 of the GPL [2], then it appears to me that releasing the plugin under the Apache license would be permitted. Unless you understand that differently, I will plan to release the Moodle plugin under the Apache 2.0 license. Regards, Aaron (1) http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html (2) http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses > Please find below the figure which explains this in two fold: > > > > <image.png> > > > Let me know if you need any further inputs from me. > > > > Regards, > > Aahit Gaba > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, Aug 13, 2012 at 7:04 PM, Aaron Coburn <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks, Aahit, > This confirms what I have read, namely that any Moodle plugin must be > licensed under the GPL. > > IANAL, but it is pretty clear that the plugin depends entirely on the Moodle > infrastructure, runs inside of the Moodle system and uses the Moodle address > space -- it is, in effect, "linked" to Moodle and thus generally understood > to be a "derivative work". > > As I understand it, this does not affect the licensing of the VCL, since the > Moodle plugin and the VCL system only transfer data. > > The secondary question is whether the VCL project can properly distribute GPL > code. Clearly, this cannot be part of any VCL release. But can the VCL > project distribute the plugin from its website, or should I make this > available from some independent location? > > Thanks, > Aaron > > > > > > On Aug 13, 2012, at 3:13 AM, Aahit wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > Plugin can be licensed under Apache 2.0 if it is communicating through > > systems calls to Moodle. As per GPL, linking can create a derivative; hence > > there is an incompatibility issue arises with apache. > > > > > > If plugin is communicating through custom calls to XMLRPC API, that is a > > derivative work according to GPL 3.0 license. > > > > > > Regards, > > > > Aahit > > > > > > > > On Sat, Aug 11, 2012 at 12:17 AM, Josh Thompson > > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > >> Hash: SHA1 > >> > >> Aaron, > >> > >> I'm think you can license your plugin for Moodle under whatever license you > >> want, as long as it wasn't an extension of existing Moodle code. > >> > >> I've cc'd the legal list to verify this is correct. > >> > >> Legal list - a little more background: VCL is a cloud provisioning system. > >> It has an XMLRPC API that allows other systems to interact with it. Aaron > >> Coburn has written a plugin for Moodle that allows a user to make a > >> reservation in VCL via a Moodle site. He would like to contribute this > >> plugin > >> to the VCL project. > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Josh > >> > >> On Friday, August 10, 2012 6:35:04 PM Aaron Coburn wrote: > >>> I have cleaned up the VCL block I wrote for Moodle and tested it with > >>> version 2.3. I would like to release it, but one of you might be able to > >>> give some insight into the licensing details. > >>> > >>> Moodle is licensed under the GPL v3 and the VCL is licensed under the > >> Apache > >>> license v2. Are there any incompatibilities there? Is there any reason > >> that > >>> the moodle plugin needs to be licensed under the GPL or can it be > >> released > >>> under the Apache license? I would like to make the license as compatible > >> as > >>> possible with the VCL so that the project would be able to distribute > >> this > >>> code as well (since there seems to be interest). > >>> > >>> Thanks in advance! > >>> > >>> Aaron > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> Aaron Coburn > >>> Systems Administrator and Programmer > >>> Academic Technology Services, Amherst College > >>> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > >> - -- > >> - ------------------------------- > >> Josh Thompson > >> VCL Developer > >> North Carolina State University > >> > >> my GPG/PGP key can be found at pgp.mit.edu > >> > >> All electronic mail messages in connection with State business which > >> are sent to or received by this account are subject to the NC Public > >> Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. > >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > >> Version: GnuPG v2.0.17 (GNU/Linux) > >> > >> iEYEARECAAYFAlAlV00ACgkQV/LQcNdtPQPoawCfWTvRFkONXjmnDXo5YrPPutSd > >> pWwAmwYBhXFPTFE++E3GAK5sHXAXjmux > >> =M+Vl > >> -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > >> > >> > >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > >> For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > >> > >> > >
