<NB: It's hopefully obvious that I do *NOT* speak for my employer :) >
On Tue, 26 Sep 2006, Dennis Clarke wrote:
Is there validity to these statements being printed by the FSF or is this
all simply more FUD that no one responds to ?
Well, is it FUD?
Let's look at the facts:
a) RMS has stated the CDDL is an "ethical licence".
b) The CDDL is listed as *a free software licence* on the FSF's website
c) The FSF /always/ recommends that the GPL be used over other free
software licences. I'm not sure what else you'd expect, it's their
default position. Hardly FUD.
d) The "Intellectual Property" objection, well they have a point. It's a
horrible term, of little (no?) legal standing, whose only purpose is
to muddy the line between the various /different/ fields of law
involved, generally[1]. This is more a point of principle though than
a practical bone of contention.
e) The FSFs' statement about compatibility between CDDL and GPL is their
opinion, and they are entitled to it. Note that they have rather
eminent legal counsel[3].
f) There appear to be good reasons why the CDDL added restrictions not
present in the GPL. So good in fact that the GPLv3 draft /allows/
those general restrictions[2] (the patent restrictions particularly).
I don't see a problem really.
There is no FUD from the FSF that I have read. There is no problem
between the CDDL and FSF, other than point c (which seems normal
really).
There is though a tendency to try 'blow up' very specific matters,
sometimes ones which do not involve Sun or OpenSolaris or the OSOL
community *in any way*, into all-encompassing clashes, where no such
clash exists.
Which is unfortunate, and doesn't help anyone IMHO.
--paulj
1. It might have use as an informal shorthand between lawyers who
understand the differences, but it really shouldn't be used outside
of that. That the term sometimes does "escape" into the 'outside'
world is unfortunate, but of no immediate concern.
2. It looks like the GPLv3 might end up compatible with the CDDL. Seems
very much so in principle at least, though I havn't checked whether
they are compatible in their details.
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