>> Hmm...does the first bullet point rule out the GPL (or any
>> non-permissive, BSD-style license)?
>
> No.

I wouldn't have thought so.  At least, assuming that the lifting of
the language from the OSI implies they intend the same interpretation
as the OSI -- and hence are OK with the GPL.

[But Andrew seems to be of the opposite opinion? "Yes, I would have to
say it does rule out those restrictive licenses" -- Andrew, do you
mean to include the GPL as one of "those restrictive licenses"? Or am
I making a goof here?]

> (Did you mean "non-BSD-style license", there?  It's hard to call (new)
> BSD "non-permissive".)

Indeed I did.  Wasn't finished with my coffee yet. :)

> A "distribution" is simply a aggregate collection of programs; it has
> nothing to do with linking or derived works in terms of the GPL.  Your
> "most natural" reading is not the accepted one. :)

So I must conclude. Though I would think that outside the context of
talking about "Linux distros," the "accepted" reading is not
necessarily more natural than one in which a "distribution" refers to
something more like a tarball of a package.  I guess I am mostly
pointing out that, absent a definition of "distribution," we should
probably hope that whoever is enforcing this policy is less prone to
that interpretation than pre-coffee me.

Richard
  • ... Paul Flint
    • ... Richard Lawrence
      • ... Josh Sled
        • ... Richard Lawrence
    • ... Andrew Tomczak ---- Act Locally. Connect Globally. Burlington Telecom: It's Your Network.

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