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From: "Geir Magnusson Jr." <geirm@apache.org>
Subject: Re: Stop worrying about licenses!
Date: Tue, 17 May 2005 11:32:04 -0400
To: harmony-dev@incubator.apache.org


On May 16, 2005, at 9:28 PM, Nick Lothian wrote:

> One specific question that I haven't seen addressed elsewhere:
>
> Currently the FAQ for classpath says:
>
> "If you are going to contribute source code to GNU Classpath we must
> make sure that you have not studied the source code of the JDK/JRE or
> decompiled any of its classes." [1]
>
>
> The FAQ for the new Java Research Licence says:
>
> "18. Does the JRL prevent you from being able to create an independent
> implementation of J2SE?
>
> The JRL is not a tainting license, and includes an express "residual
> knowledge" clause. Under the JRL, merely looking at Sun's code does  
> not
> prevent you from being able to create your own independent
> implementation of J2SE, and in any event, you can terminate the JRL at
> any time for any reason. So, yes, you can look at Sun source code and
> then later on go and work on an open-source J2SE implementation." [2]
>
> Given these inconsistencies is it safe to look at the Sun JDK if we  
> are
> planning to work on Classpath (and/or Harmony)

Yes, and no :)

This is a complex issue I have scheduled for another, separate  
thread.  Sun's intent is that if you see src.jar or -ish, you are  
*not* tarnished for life and unable to participate.  That said, we  
want to find a clear, unambiguous statement about what that really  
means.  I think that if you glanced at src.jar when debugging or  
trying to figure out how things work, then you'll be fine (assuming  
we have that clear, unambiguous statement...).  If you were an  
employee of Sun working on this code?  Dunno.  We'll probably ask  
that you stay clear at least from the parts you worked on to prevent  
accidents :)

More in a sep thread.

geir

>
> Nick
>
> [1] http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/faq/faq.html#faq3_2
> [2] http://java.net/jrl.html
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Leo Simons [mailto:mail@leosimons.com]
>> Sent: Tuesday, 17 May 2005 1:05 AM
>> To: harmony-dev@incubator.apache.org
>> Subject: Stop worrying about licenses!
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Thanks for all the input into the legal discussion so far.
>> We've got enough input for now :-)
>>
>> Roughly 95% of the people on this list should from this point
>> forward stop worrying about licensing issues for, oh, I
>> dunno, the next 6 months. The harmony project mentors and its
>> PPMC will keep working with all appropriate parties (like ASF
>> legal, FSF legal, Sun, and others) to resolve these issues,
>> and they're perfectly capable of doing that.
>>
>> For now, you can assume:
>>
>>  * we *can* use GNU Classpath as long as we do not publish
>> any releases, ie
>>    at least for the next six months;
>>
>>  * we *may* stop using GNU Classpath at some point in the future;
>>
>>  * the answer to most of your legal questions will be
>> provided within a
>>    reasonable timeframe without you needing to actually ask
>> those questions
>>    (we already know what those questions are, we don't have
>> the answers yet,
>>    but we are working on it).
>>
>> One of the things the ASF offers to projects is the freedom
>> to not worry about most of the legal mess. So don't, and get
>> to work :-)
>>
>> Thanks and happy hacking!
>>
>> - Leo
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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-- 
Geir Magnusson Jr                                  +1-203-665-6437
geirm@apache.org