[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-licensing
Subject:    Re: Using parts of Mozilla in KDE
From:       David Johnson <djohnson () acuson ! com>
Date:       1999-11-22 18:02:20
[Download RAW message or body]

Marko Gronroos wrote:
> 
> [I hope the mailing list addresses are correct - sorry, I'm not on the lists,
> and don't really want to subscribe them]
> 
> There was some discussion on this list (kde-kfm-devel) in summer about using
> parts of Mozilla in KDE. Someone raised questions about the compability of GPL
> and NPL lisences. I asked about that from the Mozilla licensing newsgroup (at
> news.mozilla.org newsserver), and received the following very informative
> answer (quoted in full):

IANAL, (BIPOOTV).

The copyright holders (KDE) can do whatever they wish with their own
code. If the NPL allows KDE to use Mozilla code, then there is no
problem for KDE itself to do so. The GPL doesn't count because it's the
copyright holder that gets the choice, not FSF or OSI. The resulting
product can be redistributed by simply giving permission to do so in the
headers.

However, Netscape's lawyer's observations that the meaning and the usage
of the GPL are sometimes at odds is telling. It's my opinion that
developers should choose a license based on their needs and desires, and
not because of license popularity. If the GPL is failing to meet the
needs and desires of the KDE team, perhaps they should consider changing
the license, or using a dual-license.

David Johnson

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]