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Posted to legal-discuss@apache.org by "Sam Ruby (Resolved) (JIRA)" <ji...@apache.org> on 2012/03/12 14:24:39 UTC
[jira] [Resolved] (LEGAL-117) Aggregation of GPL dictionaries with
Apache OpenOffice (incubating) binary releases
[ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-117?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:all-tabpanel ]
Sam Ruby resolved LEGAL-117.
----------------------------
Resolution: Fixed
Approved. People have been given ample opportunity to comment, and no issues were identified. Note that this approval is narrow: it only applies to the aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice binary releases.
> Aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice (incubating) binary releases
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Key: LEGAL-117
> URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-117
> Project: Legal Discuss
> Issue Type: Question
> Reporter: Andrea Pescetti
> Assignee: Sam Ruby
>
> Localized versions of OpenOffice.org have traditionally included dictionaries (a term used to designate data files for writing aids in general, like spell-checking dictionaries and thesauri) under the GPL license. These dictionaries are provided in the form of data files.
> Dictionaries are not a dependency of OpenOffice.org: they are packaged, even in the installer for native builds, as extensions. Any Windows version of OpenOffice.org is shipped as one file, containing separate modules for OpenOffice.org and for each linguistic extension (i.e., the dictionaries).
> This is possible because OpenOffice.org dictionaries, as confirmed by the Free Software Foundation in 2007 https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=65039 fall in the "mere aggregation" provision of the GPL license http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation
> The only remaining issue to be able to include GPL dictionaries in Apache OpenOffice is thus the Apache policy http://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html which forbids GPL software from being included in Apache projects; but the rationale for this choice http://www.apache.org/licenses/GPL-compatibility.html clearly states that "This licensing incompatibility applies only when some Apache project software becomes a derivative work of some GPLv3 software", definitely not the case under discussion.
> In light of the above, can Apache OpenOffice include GPL spell-checking dictionaries with its binary releases?
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Re: [jira] [Resolved] (LEGAL-117) Aggregation of GPL dictionaries
with Apache OpenOffice (incubating) binary releases
Posted by Sam Ruby <ru...@intertwingly.net>.
On Mon, Mar 12, 2012 at 1:28 PM, Lawrence Rosen <lr...@rosenlaw.com> wrote:
>> Sam Ruby resolved LEGAL-117.
>> ----------------------------
>>
>> Resolution: Fixed
>>
>> Approved. People have been given ample opportunity to comment, and no
>> issues were identified. Note that this approval is narrow: it only
>> applies to the aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice
>> binary releases.
>>
>> > Aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice (incubating)
>> binary releases
>
>
> For the record, I believe this is only a modest example of how Apache software can profitably integrate with GPL software. I encourage other Apache projects who see this need in their own contexts to submit additional Jira requests for approval.
>
> At some point, I hope Apache members and the board will revisit this as a full-fledged policy issue rather than one example at a time. It would be useful for much Apache software if it too could link -- in proper situations where a derivative work is not created -- with GPL software.
Until or unless the ASF Board disbands the Legal Affairs Committee, it
would be this committee that revisits this, not the board nor the
members. Of course, the members could replace the existing board and
that board could then disband this committee.
It is the (current) policy that the ASF respects the wishes of the
copyright holders. In particular, I do not see this committee having
any interest in allowing the ASF to produce software which would
require our licensees to make derivative works available under terms
compatible with the GPL, even if that requirement would not affect us.
See:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#LinkingWithGPL
You may disagree with that policy or with the expressed wishes of the
authors of the GPL, I personally have no interest in debating either
in abstract; instead, when specific needs are identified, they will be
addressed pragmatically.
> As a single example, though, I obviously agree with this resolution of LEGAL-117.
Thanks.
> /Larry
>
> Lawrence Rosen
> Rosenlaw & Einschlag, a technology law firm (www.rosenlaw.com)
> 3001 King Ranch Road, Ukiah, CA 95482
> Cell: 707-478-8932
> Apache Software Foundation, board member (www.apache.org)
- Sam Ruby
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RE: [jira] [Resolved] (LEGAL-117) Aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice (incubating) binary releases
Posted by Lawrence Rosen <lr...@rosenlaw.com>.
> Sam Ruby resolved LEGAL-117.
> ----------------------------
>
> Resolution: Fixed
>
> Approved. People have been given ample opportunity to comment, and no
> issues were identified. Note that this approval is narrow: it only
> applies to the aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice
> binary releases.
>
> > Aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice (incubating)
> binary releases
For the record, I believe this is only a modest example of how Apache software can profitably integrate with GPL software. I encourage other Apache projects who see this need in their own contexts to submit additional Jira requests for approval.
At some point, I hope Apache members and the board will revisit this as a full-fledged policy issue rather than one example at a time. It would be useful for much Apache software if it too could link -- in proper situations where a derivative work is not created -- with GPL software.
As a single example, though, I obviously agree with this resolution of LEGAL-117.
/Larry
Lawrence Rosen
Rosenlaw & Einschlag, a technology law firm (www.rosenlaw.com)
3001 King Ranch Road, Ukiah, CA 95482
Cell: 707-478-8932
Apache Software Foundation, board member (www.apache.org)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sam Ruby (Resolved) (JIRA) [mailto:jira@apache.org]
> Sent: Monday, March 12, 2012 6:25 AM
> To: legal-discuss@apache.org
> Subject: [jira] [Resolved] (LEGAL-117) Aggregation of GPL dictionaries
> with Apache OpenOffice (incubating) binary releases
>
>
> [ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-
> 117?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:all-tabpanel ]
>
> Sam Ruby resolved LEGAL-117.
> ----------------------------
>
> Resolution: Fixed
>
> Approved. People have been given ample opportunity to comment, and no
> issues were identified. Note that this approval is narrow: it only
> applies to the aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice
> binary releases.
>
> > Aggregation of GPL dictionaries with Apache OpenOffice (incubating)
> binary releases
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------------
> >
> > Key: LEGAL-117
> > URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LEGAL-117
> > Project: Legal Discuss
> > Issue Type: Question
> > Reporter: Andrea Pescetti
> > Assignee: Sam Ruby
> >
> > Localized versions of OpenOffice.org have traditionally included
> dictionaries (a term used to designate data files for writing aids in
> general, like spell-checking dictionaries and thesauri) under the GPL
> license. These dictionaries are provided in the form of data files.
> > Dictionaries are not a dependency of OpenOffice.org: they are
> packaged, even in the installer for native builds, as extensions. Any
> Windows version of OpenOffice.org is shipped as one file, containing
> separate modules for OpenOffice.org and for each linguistic extension
> (i.e., the dictionaries).
> > This is possible because OpenOffice.org dictionaries, as confirmed by
> the Free Software Foundation in 2007
> https://issues.apache.org/ooo/show_bug.cgi?id=65039 fall in the "mere
> aggregation" provision of the GPL license
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#MereAggregation
> > The only remaining issue to be able to include GPL dictionaries in
> Apache OpenOffice is thus the Apache policy
> http://www.apache.org/legal/resolved.html which forbids GPL software
> from being included in Apache projects; but the rationale for this
> choice http://www.apache.org/licenses/GPL-compatibility.html clearly
> states that "This licensing incompatibility applies only when some
> Apache project software becomes a derivative work of some GPLv3
> software", definitely not the case under discussion.
> > In light of the above, can Apache OpenOffice include GPL spell-
> checking dictionaries with its binary releases?
>
> --
> This message is automatically generated by JIRA.
> If you think it was sent incorrectly, please contact your JIRA
> administrators:
> https://issues.apache.org/jira/secure/ContactAdministrators!default.jsp
> a
> For more information on JIRA, see:
> http://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
>
>
>
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