Jeremy Hankins wrote:
Jonathan Fine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
My concern is with the Debian Free License, and the
non-dsicrimination guideline.
Suppose ABC Software takes a DFL and from it creates
a new license (call it ABC-DFL) by adding the clause:
If the licensee is ABC Software Inc then the licensee
may freely incorporate this work into its proprietary
software.
My question is this: Does this ABC-DFL license meet the
Debian Free Software Guidelines?
Must modifications be under the ABC-DFL? If so, it's non-free because
to modify it you must agree that ABC can use your code in their
proprietary stuff. Is this what you're getting at?
Spot on. Exactly the point.
Consider ABC-GPL, as defined above. You are, under such a license,
allowed to produce a derived work. This is because the GPL allows
you to produce a derived work.
If you modify and distribute ABC-GPL licensed software then
ABC Software Inc can incorporate your changes into their proprietary
products. This is what the license says. You are agreeing, by
distributing the modified work, to ABC Software using your code
in their proprietary stuff. Whole point of the clause.
Otherwise, it's free, afaict.
Are you saying that an ABC-DFL license is not free?
If so, under which of the Debian guidelines?
[snip]
Jonathan
