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List:       kde-licensing
Subject:    Re: New QPL online
From:       Kevin Forge <forgeltd () usa ! net>
Date:       1999-03-06 18:23:46
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Eirik Eng wrote:
> 
> Kevin Forge <forgeltd@usa.net> writes:
> > Richard Stallman wrote:
> > >
> > > This license is incompatible with the GPL for several reasons.  In
> > > fact, the following paragraph impose restrictions on other code which
> > > is linked with Qt, restrictions which are themselves incompatible with
> > > the GNU GPL:
> > >
> > >     c. If the items are not available to the general public, and the
> > >     initial developer of the Software requests a copy of the items,
> > >     then you must supply one.
> > >
> > > As a result, it no longer works for people to write GPL-covered
> > > files and give extra permission to link it with Qt.
> > > The problem is, this would not satisfy the new QPL.
> > >
> > > It looks like KDE has a serious problem.  I hope that Troll Tech
> > > will roll back this change in the QPL, going back to the November
> > > draft at least in this regard.
> >
> > To RMS : Is this the only remaining GPL incompatibility in the
> > license ?
> >
> > To kde-licensing@ : Not only dose the annotated version of the QPL
> > not explain why 6c is in there, but 6c isn't in the annotated version
> > at all.
> >
> > What is the purpose of 6c ?
> 
> The purpose of 6c is to make it impossible for an organization to use the
> QPL to make in-house software that in practice is proprietary because they
> refuse to share it with people outside their organization. The purpose of
> that paragraph was to make the QPL even more friendly towards free
> software.
> 
> The annotated version was not present on the web server, my fault, it is
> available now. Here is what it says about 6c:
> 
>     This is to avoid problems with companies that try to hide the
>     source. If we get to know about it we want to be able to get hold of
>     the code even if we are not users. In this way, if somebody tries to
>     cheat and we get to know we can release the code to the public.
> 
> I do not fully understand why 6c is a problem to people writing software
> for the KDE. As soon as they release their software "to the general
> public" 6c cannot apply and they therefore satisfy the QPL if they license
> their code under the GPL.
> 
> I would very much appreciate an answer from rms about this.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
>     Eirik Eng (President of Troll Tech)
>     -----

OK.  This makes sense.  You want money from anyone who isn't 
willing to have source code desalinated to the general public. 

An IBM internal deployment can be wider than the sales of a 
successful commercial application.

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