On Fri, 20 Aug 1999, Greg Hudson wrote:
> > the daemontools binaries are included, they are, like all DJB
> > software other than Qmail itself, under PD (not GPL).
>
> Public domain would mean you can do anything you want with it. You
> can't; in particular, you are not allowed to distribute derivative
> works other than precompiled var-qmail packages without Dan's
> permission.
where is that written?
> As it turns out, there is a license among Dan's web pages. See:
> ftp://koobera.math.uic.edu/www/qmail/dist.html
>
it refers ONLY to Qmail itself. nothing about daemontools, tcpserver,
cyclog, libtai, EZmlm, cdb, and other such packages that are seperate. the
page specifically says that if you wish to distribute a precompiled qmail,
it must include the precompiled fot-forward and fastforward too, but
nothing about vice versa (I can't understand why, except for one system I
installed, I never used DF and FF anywhere).
back to squere one:
> > Don't ask me how I know that, maybe an old discussion here, but I do
> > know that there are no LICENSE readme files in the packages or on
> > DJB's site.
I remember Dan had long and persuasive discussiona about how he doesn't
want Qmail to go the sendmail way (a gazzilion contradicting versions with
security holes introduced by nameless "contributors"), but the add-on
packages are not part of that. at least not explicitly...
> If you download some source code and there is no license, you can't
> assume that the source is in the public domain or that you have
> permission to do anything covered by the exclusive rights given under
> copyright law.
again: I didn't just assume, I said I vaguely remember it from an old
discussion on the list. that's why there is a very serious need for a
LICENSE file in each of those tars that Dan distributes!
oh wait... there's one line in the readme...
"You may distribute unmodified copies of the fastforward package."
well, better than nothing at all....
I'll go untar the entire directory of my mirror of Koobera now, and write
a summery of the licenses once and for all, so Russ has something to put
up on qmail.org so we can stop this silly thread. Ofcourse I would have
prefered DJB to do it because it's afterall his software and his IP to
take care of, but it seems like he never donates his opinion tho these
threads (and they pop up every 6 months).
Good Day...
