Hi This is as near as I can find to being the right place to discuss this - if anyone knows a better forumn then feel free to post it to me.
The project Im working on uses an MPL style licence, Some of us want to add some of our own work, but prefer a LGPL style licence. So we want to add an exception clause to the LGPL (which is the standard way to do it) that says that our source code can be included in a library with any other OSI certificed licenced source code. The current working exception is: * As a special exception the copyright holders of this source file * also give you permission to include this file in a library with * any other source code that has been released under an Open Source * Initiative certificed licence. More information about OSI * certification can be found at: http://www.opensource.org * Thanks in advance. Mark And some background if needed: Applying an exception clause seems to be the 'gnu' recommended way when you want to or need to work with programs released under other incompatible licences. (see links below for usages for 1. QT (old QT of course) 2). Classpath, and 3. from their FAQ about how to do it). I know RMS was heavily involved with the Classpath one and that was very recent. In our project what we'd like is a standard exemption clause (much as those provided below) that allows our code to be linked/used with any other code as long as that other code has been released under an OSI approved licence. I strongly suspect if I put this to the FSF I'll get a 'just don't do it' sort of answer. Is there any other forumn, if you guys can't suggest an answer where I can bring this up, (newsgroup?) or perhaps another project that has resolved simialr issues? Currently were heading into a bit of a mess, which each author penning his own licence and exclusion clause where needed, most without any legal training. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers Mark 1) From FAQ : http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#LinkingOverControlledInterface How can I allow linking of proprietary modules with my GPL-covered library under a controlled interface only? Add this text to the license notice of each file in the package, at the end of the text that says the file is distributed under the GNU GPL: Linking FOO statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on FOO. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination. As a special exception, the copyright holders of FOO give you permission to link FOO with independent modules that communicate with FOO solely through the FOOBAR interface, regardless of the license terms of these independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting combined work under terms of your choice, provided that every copy of the combined work is accompanied by a complete copy of the source code of FOO (the version of FOO used to produce the combined work), being distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License plus this exception. An independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on FOO. Note that people who make modified versions of FOO are not obligated to grant this special exception for their modified versions; it is their choice whether to do so. The GNU General Public License gives permission to release a modified version without this exception; this exception also makes it possible to release a modified version which carries forward this exception. 2) From classpath: http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/ Classpath is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License with the following special exception. | As a special exception, the copyright holders of this library give you permission to link this library with independent modules to produce an executable, regardless of the license terms of these independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting executable under terms of your choice, provided that you also meet, for each linked independent module, the terms and conditions of the license of that module. An independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on this library. If you modify this library, you may extend this exception to your version of the library, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version. | 3) From, comparing licences : http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html The Q Public License (QPL), Version 1.0. However, if you have written a program that uses QPL-covered library (called FOO), and you want to release your program under the GNU GPL, you can easily do that. You can resolve the conflict /for your program/ by adding a notice like this to it: As a special exception, you have permission to link this program with the FOO library and distribute executables, as long as you follow the requirements of the GNU GPL in regard to all of the software in the executable aside from FOO. You can do this, legally, if you are the copyright holder for the program. Add it in the source files, after the notice that says the program is covered by the GNU GPL. > > Mark > >
