About files which need to be included for redistribution

[Xidorn Quan <me...@upsuper.org>]

Hi All,

I have a question that, if I want to redistribute a library, which is
licensed under Apache License 2.0, in its source form, do I need to
include all files of the library, including its tests, build config,
documentation, etc. in the redistribution? Can I just pick files I need
and distribute them (with the license included as well as an acknowledge
to the author)?

This question was raised from a discussion between the author of a
library and me. I proposed a change [1] to that library to only include
necessary source files when packaging and publishing it to a public
library database (Rust's crates.io in this case).

The author of the library rejected this change, because he believes that
those files need to be included if he wants to license the library under
Apache License.

In my understanding, this requirement sounds weird. It doesn't seem to
me that the license enforces redistribution of source form to include
all files. It merely says that redistribution can be in source form, and
source files, documents, etc. are considered to be source form. It
doesn't require that distributing using source form needs to include all
files in source form.

Is my understanding correct? Or the author is right that any
redistribution needs to include all files in the repo if it is in source
form?


[1] https://github.com/dtolnay/dtoa/pull/9


Thanks!

Xidorn Quan

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Re: About files which need to be included for redistribution

[Craig Russell <ap...@gmail.com>]

Hi,

First, let me just say that this forum does not give legal advice.

> On Aug 19, 2017, at 5:04 AM, Xidorn Quan <me...@upsuper.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I have a question that, if I want to redistribute a library, which is
> licensed under Apache License 2.0, in its source form, do I need to
> include all files of the library, including its tests, build config,
> documentation, etc. in the redistribution?

Not based on the Apache License 2.0. 

> Can I just pick files I need
> and distribute them (with the license included as well as an acknowledge
> to the author)?

Yes.
> 
> This question was raised from a discussion between the author of a
> library and me. I proposed a change [1] to that library to only include
> necessary source files when packaging and publishing it to a public
> library database (Rust's crates.io in this case).
> 
> The author of the library rejected this change, because he believes that
> those files need to be included if he wants to license the library under
> Apache License.

The license says "You may reproduce and distribute copies of the Work or Derivative Works thereof in any medium, with or without modifications".

You might read this statement as allowing the deleting of files you consider unnecessary to be a modification of the Work. Many projects extract single files or packages from Works when creating Derivative Works.
> 
> In my understanding, this requirement sounds weird. It doesn't seem to
> me that the license enforces redistribution of source form to include
> all files. It merely says that redistribution can be in source form, and
> source files, documents, etc. are considered to be source form. It
> doesn't require that distributing using source form needs to include all
> files in source form.
> 
> Is my understanding correct? Or the author is right that any
> redistribution needs to include all files in the repo if it is in source
> form?

I would support your understanding of this issue.

Craig
> 
> 
> [1] https://github.com/dtolnay/dtoa/pull/9
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Xidorn Quan
> 
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> To unsubscribe, e-mail: legal-discuss-unsubscribe@apache.org
> For additional commands, e-mail: legal-discuss-help@apache.org
> 

Craig L Russell
clr@apache.org


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