Hi Kyle,

 

The "+" operator is still supported in the license expression syntax.


The "GPL-2.0+" license ID was introduced before the "+" and all ID's that
end in "+" are now deprecated.

 

Per the request of the license stewards, we introduced ID's ending in
"-or-later" and "-only".

 

Per the syntax spec, adding the "+" operator after any of these licenses are
allowed, but as you mentioned they do not make much sense semantically.

 

In the license expression parsers I maintain, I do not issue a warning when
the "+" operator follows an ID ending in a "-or-later", or "-only".  Since
all the ID's ending in "+" are deprecated, I issue warnings that a
deprecated license ID is used.

 

I'm open to feedback from the rest of the community if we should issue a
validation warning when a "+" follows the ID's ending in "-or-later" or
"-only".

 

Gary

 

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Kyle Mitchell
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2023 3:26 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [spdx] Catching Up on License IDs Ending in "+"

 

I maintain a few packages packaging and implementing bits of SPDX,
especially the license list and expression syntax, for the JavaScript npm
package system. I'm seeing some changes in recent
https://spdx.org/licenses/licenses.json and would like to make sure I
understand them before updating packages or automation to update them.

 

Do I correctly understand that "+" now appears at the end of some listed
license IDs only to express that some expressions using the "+" operator,
like GPL-2.0+, are now deprecated in favor of "-or-later" IDs, like
GPL-2.0-or-later? In other words, SPDX does not plan to add more licenses
with identifiers ending in "+" going forward?

 

I see that the "+" suffix remains valid in the simple-expression production
rule of the expression syntax grammar. But I take it "GPL-2.0++" should not
be considered a valid license expression.

 

Many thanks for any helping hand.





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