[Opensim-dev] GPL / BSD licensing dangers

[Mark Malewski]

Actually, this is a better link:

http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Contributions_Policy#OpenSim_Licensing_Conditions

Just read over the bullet points.  It covers everything that was discussed
here, and it's all been on the wiki for ages.


On Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 10:13 AM, Mark Malewski <mark.malewski at gmail.com>wrote:

>
> *> This is probably worth an entry on the OpenSimulator Wiki*
>
> It's already on the wiki and has already been there as far as I can
> remember.
>
> http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Contributions_Policy
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 10:10 AM, Dirk Krause <dirk.krause at pixelpark.com>wrote:
>
>> This is probably worth an entry on the OpenSimulator Wiki, because that's
>> what people keep asking (including me).  Or is there already and I didn't
>> notice?
>>
>> -- Dirk
>>
>> Von: opensim-dev-bounces at lists.berlios.de [mailto:
>> opensim-dev-bounces at lists.berlios.de] Im Auftrag von Diva Canto
>> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 30. Juni 2010 15:03
>> An: opensim-dev at lists.berlios.de
>> Betreff: 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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>>
>>
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>
>
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