Relicensing the code tree
ash@contact.bg
ash@contact.bg
Sat, 21 Feb 2004 12:53:25 +0200
Hi everyone,
I want to know if there is any interest in a relicencing project for the
xserver (and/or xlibs)?
This question is only prompted by the change of the current XFree86 license,
but the true reason is their licensing policy up till now - to accept patches
and contributions with varying licenses [1]. (I hate license promiscuity! [2]
Brings complications and license fights.)
Is there any project for bringing some order to the licensing situation?
Or hope for a project? Or any positive thought for such a project?
I know it will be a daunting task given the need to contact many contributors -
developers and firms. (and I have some idea for the timescale for this quest,
given the Mozilla experience). But I do get the feeling that this is necessary.
Best reagrds:
al_shopov
P.S.
Just to avoid the usual licence fight - no, I do not have any particular
LICENCE in particular in mind, but yes, I do have in mind it being single and
GPL compatible. Allowing binary only distribution is recommended given the
current situation. On first thought, a variant of some standard form of the X
licence (sadly there are several types) that is verbed in a way that allows
the name of the copyright holder to be referanced externally so that the
licence should not be changed for every contributor might be a possible
variant.
1. http://www.xfree86.org/pipermail/forum/2004-February/003978.html
2. http://www.xfree86.org/pipermail/forum/2004-February/003987.html