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List:       postgresql-admin
Subject:    Re: [ADMIN] License Issue
From:       Bruce Momjian <bruce () momjian ! us>
Date:       2009-04-21 15:44:37
Message-ID: 200904211544.n3LFibQ27324 () momjian ! us
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Admin folks, please don't reply to this email;  the discussion will
continue on hackers;  thanks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

bruce wrote:
> May, Randy wrote:
> > PostGresQL Admin,
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > I am part of an organization that is beginning to write commercial
> > applications for various Portals (Liferay, etc.).  We would like to be
> > able to deploy PostGresQL as the lightweight database for the Portal to
> > connect to.  Our request for approval to our Legal Department has
> > stalled due to the following language in one of the files:
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > File: src/backend/port/dynloader/readme.dlfcn.aix
> 
> The actual file name, case-sensitive, is:
> 
> 	File: src/backend/port/dynloader/README.dlfcn.aix
> 
> > Language: "Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and
> > redistribute this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain
> > profit from it..."
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > We are not planning to modify PostGreSQL, nor charging for support
> > services.
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > Given that we are building commercial applications, can I get
> > confirmation that we allowed to use (in-house) and deploy (to our
> > customers) PostGresQL to support our applications?
> 
> Wow, I don't remember anyone seeing that before, and am sure it would
> have been an issue if they had seen it because it has been in the source
> tree since 1997/12/19. And aix.[ch] have unusual copyrights:
> 
> 	 * @(#)dlfcn.h  1.4 revision of 95/04/25  09:36:52
> 	 * This is an unpublished work copyright (c) 1992 HELIOS Software GmbH
> 	 * 30159 Hannover, Germany
> 
> What does "unpublished work" mean?  I assume the copyright in the README
> is meant to apply to the aix.[ch] files based on it being the same
> company name, and AIX.
> 
> Obviously the license only applies to AIX but I wonder if we should just
> remove the files at some point and require an AIX user to reimplement
> this.  I see a mention of the copyright from 1999:
> 
> 	http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/1999-12/msg00747.php
> 
> and another in 2007:
> 
> 	http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2007-03/msg01450.php
> 
> but no one seems to have noticed the README text.
> 
> I think this got missed because it starts out like a BSD license, then
> has the "no profit" clause added:
> 
> 	Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and redistribute
> 	this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain profit from it,
> 	the author is not construed to be liable for any results of using the
> 	software, alterations are clearly marked as such, and this notice is
> 	not modified.
> 
> Can someone contat the author company?  I think this is them:
> 
> 	http://www.helios.de/
> 
> 	HELIOS Software GmbH
> 	Steinriede 3
> 	D-30827 Garbsen, Germany
> 	Phone: +49 5131 709320
> 
> -- 
>   Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
>   EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com
> 
>   + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
  EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com

  + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +

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