Hey folks,
I noticed that the RANCID license [0] appears to be a modified BSD 4-clause
[1].
We'd like to use some code derived from RANCID in an open source, Apache
2.0 licensed project. However, it appears that BSD 4-clause and Apache 2.0
licenses are incompatible.
The Apache Software Foundation legal team has previously found that BSD
4-clause is incompatible with Apache 2.0 licensing [2], because of the
advertising clause. IMO, though I am nothing like a lawyer, the Apache 2.0
NOTICES requirement is a good replacement for advertising clause that
serves a similar purpose.
I wonder if this issue has come up here before, and whether the RANCID
copyright holders would consider relicensing under the BSD 2-Clause in
order to enable broader use.
Of course our project would be happy to call out RANCID in its README/etc.
as well -- my main concern is putting an accurate license on our project
and not placing undue burden on our transitive users.
Thanks!
Dan
[0] http://rancid.shrubbery.net/rancid/svn/rancid/trunk/rancid/COPYING
[1] https://spdx.org/licenses/BSD-4-Clause.html
[2] https://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html#category-x
I noticed that the RANCID license [0] appears to be a modified BSD 4-clause
[1].
We'd like to use some code derived from RANCID in an open source, Apache
2.0 licensed project. However, it appears that BSD 4-clause and Apache 2.0
licenses are incompatible.
The Apache Software Foundation legal team has previously found that BSD
4-clause is incompatible with Apache 2.0 licensing [2], because of the
advertising clause. IMO, though I am nothing like a lawyer, the Apache 2.0
NOTICES requirement is a good replacement for advertising clause that
serves a similar purpose.
I wonder if this issue has come up here before, and whether the RANCID
copyright holders would consider relicensing under the BSD 2-Clause in
order to enable broader use.
Of course our project would be happy to call out RANCID in its README/etc.
as well -- my main concern is putting an accurate license on our project
and not placing undue burden on our transitive users.
Thanks!
Dan
[0] http://rancid.shrubbery.net/rancid/svn/rancid/trunk/rancid/COPYING
[1] https://spdx.org/licenses/BSD-4-Clause.html
[2] https://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html#category-x