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Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2015 18:00:06 +0000 (UTC)
From: "Dennis E. Hamilton (JIRA)" <jira@apache.org>
To: legal-discuss@apache.org
Message-ID: <JIRA.12905278.1444931967000.50301.1444932006851@Atlassian.JIRA>
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Subject: [jira] [Created] (LEGAL-228) Optional Java Use for Essential
 Functionality
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Dennis E. Hamilton created LEGAL-228:
----------------------------------------

             Summary: Optional Java Use for Essential Functionality
                 Key: LEGAL-228
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-228
             Project: Legal Discuss
          Issue Type: Question
            Reporter: Dennis E. Hamilton


This may not be a legal question but a practice question.

At <http://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html#optional>, the use of an opti=
onal dependency is explained with regard to the quality of the result when =
the option is not exercised.  Namely,=20

"[I]f the component is only needed for optional features, a project can pro=
vide the user with instructions on how to obtain and install the non-includ=
ed work. Optional means that the component is not required for standard use=
 of the product or for the product to achieve a desirable level of quality.=
 The question to ask yourself in this situation is:

"=E2=80=A2 'Will the majority of users want to use my product without addin=
g the optional components?' "

In the specific case of Apache OpenOffice, the Java JRE is not distributed =
and it is not necessarily found on the platform in the form that AOO requir=
es to exercise its optional dependencies on Java.  I don't know whether red=
istributing a JRE is inappropriate, although I would think so.=20

The key facet is that there are *essential* functionalities that are only a=
vailable if a suitable JRE is present.  Users only discover that essentiali=
ty by failures that arise when attempting to exercise certain functions.

Granting that the usability and awareness of what requires a JRE could be h=
andled better, does this dependency in AOO fall under this provision of the=
 legal FAQ?


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