I do not have intent to re-restribute HBase as GPL. Here I want to ask whether I will be forced to open-source my business logic code (application layer code, I do not touch HBase-internal code at all) if I use the LZO codec. An IP lawyer would be necessary, but I believe 'laywer' needs to understand the technical detail explanation as well. Many thanks, Sean
> Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2011 12:15:24 -0800 > Subject: Re: Using the (GPLed) LZO codec in system and shipping products > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > One last thing, you really need to seek out your IP lawyer, because if > you decide to distribute HBase as GPL, your linked applications may > become subject to the GPL as well. > > Regards, > -ryan > > On Wed, Jan 5, 2011 at 12:10 PM, Ryan Rawson <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi, > > > > To follow up slightly... Various reasonable and education people have > > differing opinions on what constitutes creating a derived work means > > in the context of LGPL and GPL. The ASF has taken one position. If > > you choose to ship HBase with the LZO library, you should check with > > your lawyer to see what terms you should offer it as. You should also > > balance this against the business risk you are willing to take. But > > you won't be able to call it "Apache HBase now with more LZO", since > > you are forking and re-licensing HBase. Again, check with your legal > > here. > > > > Good luck! > > -ryan > > > > On Wed, Jan 5, 2011 at 12:01 PM, Ryan Rawson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> please ask your lawyer. > >> > >> On Jan 5, 2011 11:42 AM, "Sean" <[email protected]> wrote: > >>> > >>> Hi HBasers, > >>> We are working on a product shipping to our customer as a commercial > >>> product, which is unlike most of you guys who use it as an in-house tool > >>> and > >>> build solution on top of it internally. Therefore, here I have a specific > >>> question about GPL licensing issue about the LZO codec. (It is definitely > >>> not a concern to most of you guys, but I'd doubt check here) > >>> > >>> First, here is how we use HBase. All of our development work is in > >>> application level, i.e., our business logic code runs within the JVM that > >>> an > >>> HBase client runs on (we have some M/R code, but MR task JVMs are also > >>> simply HBase clients, so I'd say it's same as my Put/Delete HBase logic). > >>> I understand that the LZO codec and its Java wrapper are GPL licensed. And > >>> my limited understanding toward GPL is that "you are required to GPL your > >>> code, i.e., open the source of it, if you link your logic to the GPL > >>> modules", but you are not required to do so if your server communicate to > >>> the GPL component with RPC/HTTP and etc. > >>> Here is my understanding but I am not really sure about it: 1) > >>> RegionServer is the process that uses ('links to') the LZO codec, and the > >>> JVM that HBase client runs in communicates with RS (the process 'links to' > >>> GPL module) through RPCs. 2) Therefore, my business logic is not shipped > >>> under the 'linked' mode. > >>> So, I feel this is an OK case for me, i.e., I have not violate the GPL > >>> license. But I'd like to doubt check with the experience community users. > >>> Please kindly provide your comments. > >>> Many thanks,Sean > >> > >
