KDE Connect has had this PR languishing for a couple of years, with a
question I am not able to answer.
https://invent.kde.org/network/kdeconnect-android/-/merge_requests/192
The author has added a (very useful) library, which happens to be
licensed under the Apache v2 license.
KDE Connect code is GPL-licensed. GPL section 2 says that the entire
work must be distributed as GPL.
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.en.html
In my eyes, the only meaningful part of the work is the source code, at
which level the concept of distributing a library does not apply. The
.apk that we give to users is just a convenience to them, they could
just as well build it themselves. The .apk contains both the KDE Connect
GPL code and the Apache-licensed libraries, but by itself has no
specific license (and doesn't claim to).
But my view don't matter, what matters is what happens in court, in the
event anyone ever accuses KDE of violating license terms. As I am not
qualified to expose KDE to any additional risk, is there a policy (or
accepted precedent) for distributing Apache-licensed libraries?
Thanks,
Simon
