Mailing-List: contact legal-discuss-help@apache.org; run by ezmlm
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: legal-discuss@apache.org
Received-SPF: neutral (athena.apache.org: local policy)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v1084)
Subject: Re: Clarify relation between GPL and Apache license
From: Paul Libbrecht <paul@hoplahup.net>
In-Reply-To: 
 <7431AB8827AA7F4482AAFB01A4BD781B014EBDFFA83D@VMSMail.rssystem.de>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:37:55 +0100
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Message-Id: <682E2E0B-E429-401E-94AF-9FCB83200C61@hoplahup.net>
References: <7431AB8827AA7F4482AAFB01A4BD781B014EBDFFA83A@VMSMail.rssystem.de>
 <E42E535D-44AA-4E91-AE04-5036AF593E49@hoplahup.net>
 <7431AB8827AA7F4482AAFB01A4BD781B014EBDFFA83B@VMSMail.rssystem.de>
 <1D30CEDD-A38A-4D6B-A5C6-89891C68C7DF@hoplahup.net>
 <7431AB8827AA7F4482AAFB01A4BD781B014EBDFFA83D@VMSMail.rssystem.de>
To: legal-discuss@apache.org


Le 14 d=E9c. 2011 =E0 12:47, Markus Stier a =E9crit :
>> Q: Is the Apache license compatible with the GPL (GNU Public =
License)?
>> A: Although the Free Software Foundation website indicates a rather =
strong
>> incompatibility, the answer to this question boils down to one of the =
two
>> following questions:
>=20
> Why "strong incompatibility"? There is an incompatibility with GPL =
version 2, which is resolved in GPL 3.=20
> Since most GPL libraries are licensed with "GPL version 2 or later" =
this should not be an issue.

I never understood this incompatibility which has always appeared to =
assume from a reader such as me that licensing everything in one viral =
license is the aim at the end of the day. This aim is not realizable, =
period.

So I disagree it depends on the GPL version. Many products have been =
released under GPL 2.1 with linkages to software Apache Public License =
and do not worry of such an incompatibility.

But then, I know it has been stated differently in different places so =
I'm ok if your FAQ formulation is better than mine.
Both would be a lot better than what is currently there (which basically =
says "if you want to listen and worry about FSF's licenses, here's what =
they say)".

paul


> I would suggest:
> Q: Is the Apache license compatible with the GPL (GNU Public License)?
> A: It depends on the GPL version and the usage scenario.=20
> The answer to this question boils down to one of the two
> following questions:
>=20
>>=20
>> Q: Can I license my software under the Apache Public License if it =
links to
>> software under the GNU Public License
>> A:  No. The GNU Public License requires any software linked to a =
software
>> under the GNU Public License to be under the same license.
>=20
> OK
>=20
>> Q: Can I license my software under the GNU Public License if it links =
to a
>> component under the Apache Public License?
>> A: Yes. Nothing of both licenses prevent this.
>>  Note that it still means that the attributions of the softwares =
under the two
>> different licenses will be required.
>=20
> I'd suggest:
>=20
> Q: Can I license my software under the GNU Public License if it links =
to a
> component under the Apache Public License?
> A: Yes, if you use GPL version 3. Nothing of both licenses prevent =
this.
>  Note that it still means that the attributions of the softwares under =
the two
> different licenses will be required.=20
>=20
>>=20
>> Maybe I'm too strong but at least I'd claim to be pragmatic.
>>=20
>> paul
>>=20
>>=20
>> Le 14 d=E9c. 2011 =E0 12:11, Markus Stier a =E9crit :
>>=20
>>> Paul,
>>>=20
>>> I think it comes down to these two questions:
>>> 1. "Can I license my software under GPL if linking to an ASF =
library?"
>>> as you mentioned and:
>>> 2. "Can I license my software under Apache License if linking to an =
GPL
>> library?"
>>>=20
>>> Regarding  the first question, the FSF states that Apache License =
2.0 and
>> GPL 3.0 are compatible and therefore the answer is "Yes".
>>> Regarding  the second question the answer is "No". The explanation =
is
>> given in http://www.apache.org/licenses/GPL-compatibility.html.
>>>=20
>>> I'm not related to ASF nor FSF. I'm just examining licenses for a =
project of
>> mine and discovered the ambiguity in the ASF FAQ. Again, I suggest =
that you
>> remove the "Is the Apache license compatible with the GPL (GNU Public
>> License)?" question and replace it with those from above.
>>>=20
>>> Markus
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>> Markus,
>>>>=20
>>>> could you please describe your compatibility definition?
>>>>=20
>>>> That whole discussion, and ping pong among FSF and ASF about it,
>>>> leads me to think that compatibility should just not be mentioned.
>>>> The true questions would be, for example "Can I license my software
>>>> under GPL if linking to an ASF library?"
>>>>=20
>>>> Or?
>>>>=20
>>>> paul
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>> Le 14 d=E9c. 2011 =E0 11:28, Markus Stier a =E9crit :
>>>>=20
>>>>> Hi!
>>>>>=20
>>>>> There are currently (at least) two places which address the
>>>>> compatibility
>>>> between GPL 2.x and the Apache license 2.0.
>>>>> At  http://www.apache.org/foundation/license-faq.html#GPL, ASF
>>>>> states
>>>> that both licenses are compatible. This is misleading or even =
incorrect.
>>>>> According to =
http://www.apache.org/licenses/GPL-compatibility.html,
>>>>> the Apache 2.0 license is only compatible to GPL >=3D 2.x if the =
GPLed
>>>> software uses Apache'd libraries but not vice versa. This seems to =
be
>>>> the more appropriate statement.
>>>>>=20
>>>>> I suggest that the FAQ page should be updated.
>>>>>=20
>>>>> Best
>>>>>=20
>>>>> Markus
>>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>> =
---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>> To unsubscribe, e-mail: legal-discuss-unsubscribe@apache.org
>>>> For additional commands, e-mail: legal-discuss-help@apache.org
>>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>> =
---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> To unsubscribe, e-mail: legal-discuss-unsubscribe@apache.org
>>> For additional commands, e-mail: legal-discuss-help@apache.org
>>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> To unsubscribe, e-mail: legal-discuss-unsubscribe@apache.org
>> For additional commands, e-mail: legal-discuss-help@apache.org
>>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: legal-discuss-unsubscribe@apache.org
> For additional commands, e-mail: legal-discuss-help@apache.org
>=20


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: legal-discuss-unsubscribe@apache.org
For additional commands, e-mail: legal-discuss-help@apache.org