On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 08:19:00 -0300 Goedson Teixeira Paixao wrote: [...] > Gabber's license has an exception allowing linking to OpenSSL. See the > COPYING.exception file in its sources.
I think this exception should be copied into the debian/copyright, because otherwise the latter file does not consitute "a verbatim copy of [the package] copyright and distribution license" (as mandated by Debian Policy, version 3.7.2.2, section 4.5). Moreover: it seems that one of the libraries the package depends on is available under the terms of the GNU GPL v2, without any additional linking permission: namely libgnomemm[1][2]. If the (or one) program included in the gabber package links with both OpenSSL and a pure-GPLv2 library, a problem arises. In a nutshell[3]: the program, with all its modules, must be available under the GNU GPL v2, in order to link against libgnomemm; but that is not possible, as one of the modules is OpenSSL, which is licensed in a GPL-incompatible manner and thus is *not* available under the GNU GPL v2. I'm Cc:ing debian-legal, in order to check that my analysis is correct. For more context, please see the buglog[4]. I think the bug should be reopened. [1] http://packages.debian.org/unstable/libs/libgnomemm1.2-9c2 [2] http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/main/g/gnomemm/gnomemm_1.2.4-3.1/libgnomemm1.2-9c2.copyright [3] assuming, to be on the safe side, that the FSF's linking legal theory is correct... [4] http://bugs.debian.org/395961 -- But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend. -- from _Coming to America_ ..................................................... Francesco Poli . GnuPG key fpr == C979 F34B 27CE 5CD8 DC12 31B5 78F4 279B DD6D FCF4
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