Ok, I have been pestering the MySQL folks to add the QPL to their FLOSS
exception list.
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/MySQL_FLOSS_License_Exception.html
So that we can use Barnyard with MySql 4.x.
To sum up their response: "The QPL was originally on the FLOSS exception
list, but it was removed because of some issues with that license"
I am assuming that those issues are this clause from the QPL:
"3. You may make modifications to the Software and distribute your
modifications, in a form that is separate from the Software, such as
patches."
So, if I an packaging my application FOO that uses QPL licensed
application BAR, but in order for them to work together, I made some
changes to BAR. I can only distribute patches to BAR and not a fully
patched copy of BAR.
Not a big deal, IMHO, but seems to be to MySql (and to GNU actually, it
is the reason that the QPL is GNU in-compatible).
So, MySql's suggestion is to either
1) Wait and see if they change their minds. They said that they will
re-review the QPL and maybe add it back to the exception list, but don't
hold your breath.
2) Change the license.
My opinion is that the inability to legally use MySql 4.x with Barnyard
is a fairly big issue. MySql is hardly supporting 3.x anymore. I know
that there are ways to work around this (use the 3.x client lib with a
4.x server), but these workarounds will be increasingly difficult, as
more OS distros package MySql 4.x.
Perhaps we can prod Andrew (and the legal folks at SourceFire) to
re-evaluate the QPL as the BY license.
As I understand it, the main reason the QPL was chosen over the GPL
(which snort uses) is that the QPL allows linking to non-free libs which
is needed to have BY output to non-free DB's (oracle, the embedded DB
that SF uses). If that is the goal, there are other GPL compatible
licenses that do this too.
1) Clarified Artistic License
http://www.statistica.unimib.it/utenti/dellavedova/software/artistic2.ht
ml
2) GNU Lesser Public License (now not just for libraries)
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html
Thought?
-steve
-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.Net email is sponsored by:
Sybase ASE Linux Express Edition - download now for FREE
LinuxWorld Reader's Choice Award Winner for best database on Linux.
http://ads.osdn.com/?ad_id=5588&alloc_id=12065&op=click
|
