[Opensim-dev] GPL / BSD licensing dangers

[Dickson, Mike (ISS Software)]

Ok, this is a slightly different position than I've heard before...

The issue of simple code inclusion is well defined IMO, OpenSIM core can't include GPL'd code into the BSD licensed core without running afoul of the GPL.  That's a simple license compatibility issue.  But in the past what I've heard is that you don't want contributions from people who have read or worked on viewer code because of concerns of copying IP (that is... knowing something about the client implementation might taint the server code because I'd use that info when implementing a server change).    Is that not the case?  Diva, your message as worded sounds to me like you would accept contributions so long as there were no GPL licensed code in the submission. I.E. Your issue is no direct code copying, not intellectual property related.

Modules external to core of course don't carry any prohibition.  In doing that I'm simply using API's the project has provided and how I conform to licenses involved is my business.

Mike

From: opensim-dev-bounces at lists.berlios.de [mailto:opensim-dev-bounces at lists.berlios.de] On Behalf Of Diva Canto
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 8:03 AM
To: opensim-dev at lists.berlios.de
Subject: Re: [Opensim-dev] GPL / BSD licensing dangers

The issue here is not BSD+GPL licenses in general, although that's also an issue to worry about; the issue we most vocally warn people about is very specific to OpenSim and Second Life. OpenSim has been made legally possible due to the generosity of Linden Lab's publishing their protocols by means of some public documentation and, yes, open sourcing the client [under GPL]. So far, we have had the passive and, at points, active support of Linden Lab in developing OpenSim. But, as we all know, Linden Lab is a relatively unpredictable company; at any point, it could be acquired by another company who is less enthusiastic about a free BSD open source server side to their client. In the absolute worst case scenario, that other company could cause us a lot of grief if OpenSim includes code directly derived from GPL'ed viewer code. (I don't want to start a rhetorical discussion about this; that's just the worst case scenario, period.)

Hence, the "no risks" rule. We do not take patches from anyone who is actively involved in the development of viewers from the LL viewer family.

If, however, you are talking about your own modules that aren't part of the official OpenSim distribution, then OpenSim has no say about it -- do whatever you want. No one here is in a position to give legal advice.

On 6/30/2010 4:18 AM, Neil Canham wrote:
Would anyone be able to tell me about the warning for any one person not to work on both the OpenSim source and a viewer such as Hippo?  I understand that there are licensing differences (BSD vs GPL respectively) and that direct inclusion of GPL code in a BSD project breaks the GPL license.  Surely you could guard against such direct inclusion?  Does this extend to region modules and mini-region modules?  I'm in the position of wanting to make changes to the viewer and also to write MRMs or other modules.

--
Neil Canham
--







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