On Sat, Sep 28, 2002 at 06:31:40PM -0400, Doug Lea wrote: > > First, your documentation mentions that a few of the classes use > > copyrighted code from SUN. I'd like to know if you have had any > > indication from SUN that it is legal to distribute these files. To > > protect the individuals and organizations who donate mirror space from > > liability, Debian won't distribute such code without explicit permission. > > If SUN won't give it, I'll remove those classes. > > Yes, I do have explict permission from Sun.
Can you clarify this? Debian requires permission to modify, distribute and distribute modified versions, not just permission to use. Also, there can't be any limitations of those freedoms for certain purposes (like restriction of the use or sale for profit). Best would be a clear license statement from Sun saying that the derived work you made based on their code has all the freedoms mentioned above. I can ask Sun for this if it's not convenient for you. > (BTW, I'm still working via JCP etc to try to lead Sun into open > source JDK releases. I naively optimistically think it will happen...) Well, I'm not holding my breath for a truely open source Java any time soon, but I hope they will refine their license enough to let others at least distribute their JRE and JDK. The current license has several restrictions of distributors which are too hard (or legally troublesome) for groups like Debian to meet (examples are forbidding distribution of alternative implementations of the core Java classes and a requirement of indemnificaion from any damages suffered by downloaders). Thanks for your quick reply. I'm starting on preliminary packaging, and as soon as my last copyright question is resolved I'll see about getting the package uploded into the Debian archive. (Oh, one thing I forgot to mention last time: this message is CCed to [EMAIL PROTECTED], the address of the ITP (Intent To Package) bug I filed for this package in the Debian bug tracking system. When you reply, please CC to that address as well, so our coversation will be recorded. You can see the Bug's page on the web at http://bugs.debian.org/161603.) -- Steven Barker [EMAIL PROTECTED] The eagle may soar, but the weasel never gets sucked into a jet engine. Get my GnuPG public key at: http://www.blckknght.org/publickey.asc Fingerprint: 272A 3EC8 52CE F22B F745 775E 5292 F743 EBD5 936B
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