Shawn Walker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> The FSF already states that the CDDL is a "free software license," but they
> of course can't resist making a few "jabs" at it:
>
> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
> http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/index_html#GPLIncompatibleLicenses
>
> "Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL)
>
> This is a free software license which is not a strong copyleft; it has
> some complex restrictions that make it incompatible with the GNU GPL. It
> requires that all attribution notices be maintained, while the GPL only
> requires certain types of notices. Also, it terminates in retaliation for
> certain aggressive uses of patents. So, a module covered by the GPL and a
> module covered by the CDDL cannot legally be linked together. We urge you not
> to use the CDDL for this reason.
This is not true....
First, I should note that the GPL does not use the term "linking" anywhere in
the GPL, so it is obvious that any FAQ type stuff that uses the term "linking"
with respect to the GPL cannot be taken for serious.
While it is true that not all technical senseful combinations of CDDLd and GPLd
code are allowed by the GPL, it is definitely not the CDDL that is the problem
with combining code as the CDDL does not include "complex restrictions that
make it incompatible with the GPL".
Many types of combination with CDDLd code and GPLd code are allowed. If you
carefully read the GPL you will find that e.g. all combinations where noone
may be rightfully claim, that the CDDLd code is "a derived work" from the GPLd
code, are valid combinations from CDDLd code and GPLd code.
As an example: mkisofs (GPL) uses libschily and libscg (bith CDDL). As the pure
fact that mkisofs uses libschily & libscg does not make libschily or libscg
"a derived work" of mkisofs makes this combination perfectly valid.
I believe that this is information that needs to be widely spread in order to
correct the FUD from come camps.
Jörg
--
EMail:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (home) Jörg Schilling D-13353 Berlin
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (uni)
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (work) Blog: http://schily.blogspot.com/
URL: http://cdrecord.berlios.de/old/private/ ftp://ftp.berlios.de/pub/schily
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