Hi! The way I see it, you're ok for using DFB:
Freetype is provided under the 'Freetype' License, a BSD style license: http://www.freetype.org/license.html This means you can use the software in any way you want without paying, but have to mention freetype in the 'credits' for your software. LibJPEG62 is a little more complicated, but according to their own copyright notice you should be fine using their software provided you also 'credit' its use. http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/main/libj/libjpeg6b/libjpeg6b_6b-10/copyright Libpng3 and Zlib have very similar licenses, both of which allow you to use the software any way you want at no charge. They do not even require you to 'credit' the use of the software, although it would be appreciated. http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/src/libpng-LICENSE.txt http://www.zlib.net/zlib_license.html Providing 'credit' or acknowledgement means that you mention that you used the software, and refer to the authors and perhaps the home page of the software in your Product Manual, the 'About' or 'Info' page/screen of the Product and your Product Website. DirectFB itself is LGPL. This means you can use DirectFB and the software it depends on as libraries against which you can link your software for your product. You do not need to publish the source code for your software, and can include the libraries in compiled form together with your product. -> Basically you have exactly what you need! In theory, there are no additional actions required for the licenses, there is no one that you have to apply with or ask to send you the license. You can just start working. Depending on your companys 'confidence' in this situation I think there are a couple of ways to proceed: 1) You could simply archive (copy) all license and copyright documents included with the software (make hard copies, consider having them certified by a notary to guarantee originality) and then begin work. 2) If you are less confident, you could write to the principal authors of the different software packages, and ask them to send you written confirmation that you can use the software in your commercial product free of charge. Add their written statements to the other copyright materials you archive. 3) You could engage the assistance of a patent/copyright lawer to handle this process for you, and provide your company with a statement indicating the 'compliance' to the various copyright licenses. Hope this helps, Richard Unger -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Im Auftrag von Zhan Zhaohua Gesendet: Montag, 07. November 2005 09:07 An: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected]; [email protected] Betreff: [directfb-dev] Some Question about License ear: Our organization is planning a big project which is a Linux-Embedded system and will be sold as products in the market. Through our investigation, We want to use DriectFB at our system. But when we investigate the license of DriectFB we met some trouble. We know the when we compiling the DriectFB, we need those sofeware which record at "http://www.directfb.org/index.php?path=Documentation%2FUser+Manuals%2FREADME"; They are: 1. freetype (version >= 2.0.1) 2. Libjpeg62 3. libpng2 or libpng3 4. Zlib But we couldn't find which is necessary for usage.So which is necessary for the DriectFB usage? And we investigate each License to get this: 1. FreeType License/GPL 2. GPL/LGPL 3. zlib/libpng License 4. zlib/libpng License Is that correct? Through each Software we meet some trouble. For Example: libjpeg:GPL/LGPL. This is our comprehend of the COPYING and some record in the ansi2knr.c. Through our understand, DriectFB should be distributed under the GPL.See the ansi2knr.c file. How to understand the DriectFB under the LGPL? BTW: When we use the DriectFB, should we need to connect the each software team which DriectFB use requirement to get the License? For Example: DriectFB need libjpeg, we must to connect you to get a libjpeg license? If we must do like this, could you give our some advise? And whether we need to investigate the reuqirement of libjpeg? Maybe Those of questions are not suitable, but any informations will help us a lot. Thank you very much again! Wish a successful further cooperation! Best regards Zhan Zhaohua 2005.11.7 __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ directfb-dev mailing list [email protected] http://mail.directfb.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/directfb-dev _______________________________________________ directfb-users mailing list [email protected] http://mail.directfb.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/directfb-users
