Mailing List Archive: License question

License question

Oct 31, 2005, 9:23 AM

Post #1 of 4 (536 views)

Hello,

while trying to improve the rancid spec file i got from Dan Pfleger so i
can start testing rancid i run into a non technical problem: the
license. I have read the COPYING file and there is the "non-commerical
purposes" limitation for copying, modifying and redistribution. But
there is no mention of "use" of the software in there.
I googled around and what i found is that FreshMeat shows as license
"Other/Proprietary License"
(http://themes.freshmeat.net/projects/rancid/) and Debian marks it as
"non-free" (http://packages.debian.org/unstable/source/rancid). Couldn't
find any previous license discussions for rancid that's why i'm asking now.
To me the software looks like an advertising BSD license with some
non-commercial restrictions but IANAL so i asked one. His answer was: "I
would ask that you contact the maintainers and ask that they clarify
that the non-commercial restriction applies only to re-distribution, not
to use, copying or modification."

What we want to do is to use the rancid internaly at Red Hat, not to
sell it, not to distribute it and not to sell any services based on it.
Only pure internal use.

bye
michael
--
Michael Stefaniuc Tel.: +49-711-96437-199
Sr. Network Engineer Fax.: +49-711-96437-111
Red Hat GmbH Email: mstefani at redhat.com
Hauptstaetterstr. 58 http://www.redhat.de/
D-70178 Stuttgart

License question [ In reply to ]

hank at rem

Oct 31, 2005, 10:16 AM

Post #2 of 4 (541 views)

Permalink

The intent of the license to to maintain recognition but still allow
free use. We have discussed updating the license to make it more
"standard" and clear - more later on that. You are free to use it as
described.

-Hank

Michael Stefaniuc wrote:
> Hello,
>
> while trying to improve the rancid spec file i got from Dan Pfleger so i
> can start testing rancid i run into a non technical problem: the
> license. I have read the COPYING file and there is the "non-commerical
> purposes" limitation for copying, modifying and redistribution. But
> there is no mention of "use" of the software in there.
> I googled around and what i found is that FreshMeat shows as license
> "Other/Proprietary License"
> (http://themes.freshmeat.net/projects/rancid/) and Debian marks it as
> "non-free" (http://packages.debian.org/unstable/source/rancid). Couldn't
> find any previous license discussions for rancid that's why i'm asking now.
> To me the software looks like an advertising BSD license with some
> non-commercial restrictions but IANAL so i asked one. His answer was: "I
> would ask that you contact the maintainers and ask that they clarify
> that the non-commercial restriction applies only to re-distribution, not
> to use, copying or modification."
>
> What we want to do is to use the rancid internaly at Red Hat, not to
> sell it, not to distribute it and not to sell any services based on it.
> Only pure internal use.
>
> bye
> michael

License question [ In reply to ]

mstefani at redhat

Nov 2, 2005, 3:34 AM

Post #3 of 4 (533 views)

Permalink

On Mon, Oct 31, 2005 at 01:16:05PM -0500, Hank Kilmer wrote:
> The intent of the license to to maintain recognition but still allow
> free use.
Full ACK here.

> We have discussed updating the license to make it more
> "standard" and clear - more later on that.
Please do so. I know license discussions drift easily into big flame wars
that can go on for months but a known license can ease the adoption of
a software. There is already a license jungle in the OSS world.

> You are free to use it as described.
Thanks, will do.

> -Hank
Just to crosscheck it: Hank Kilmer and Henry Kilmer (the name in the
COPYING file) are the same person. Google seems to confirm this e.g.
http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?search=hank%40rem.com&op=index

bye
michael

> Michael Stefaniuc wrote:
> >while trying to improve the rancid spec file i got from Dan Pfleger so i
> >can start testing rancid i run into a non technical problem: the
> >license. I have read the COPYING file and there is the "non-commerical
> >purposes" limitation for copying, modifying and redistribution. But
> >there is no mention of "use" of the software in there.
> >I googled around and what i found is that FreshMeat shows as license
> >"Other/Proprietary License"
> >(http://themes.freshmeat.net/projects/rancid/) and Debian marks it as
> >"non-free" (http://packages.debian.org/unstable/source/rancid). Couldn't
> >find any previous license discussions for rancid that's why i'm asking now.
> >To me the software looks like an advertising BSD license with some
> >non-commercial restrictions but IANAL so i asked one. His answer was: "I
> >would ask that you contact the maintainers and ask that they clarify
> >that the non-commercial restriction applies only to re-distribution, not
> >to use, copying or modification."
> >
> >What we want to do is to use the rancid internaly at Red Hat, not to
> >sell it, not to distribute it and not to sell any services based on it.
> >Only pure internal use.
> >
> >bye
> > michael
>

--
Michael Stefaniuc Tel.: +49-711-96437-199
Sr. Network Engineer Fax.: +49-711-96437-111
Red Hat GmbH Email: mstefani at redhat.com
Hauptstaetterstr. 58 http://www.redhat.de/
D-70178 Stuttgart

License question [ In reply to ]

hank at rem

Nov 2, 2005, 7:35 AM

Post #4 of 4 (536 views)

Permalink

Michael Stefaniuc wrote:

> Just to crosscheck it: Hank Kilmer and Henry Kilmer (the name in the
> COPYING file) are the same person. Google seems to confirm this e.g.
> http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?search=hank%40rem.com&op=index

Most certainly. There are other nick names I respond too as well but
aren't for public consumption ;-)

-Hank