[Geoserver-devel] Change GeoServer license?

GeoServer GeoServer Developer
1

GeoServer is licensed under the GPLv2 with exceptions for named Eclipse libraries whose EPL-1.0 licenses would otherwise be incompatible with the GPL. The status-monitoring community module adds another EPL-1.0-licensed dependency (OSHI); the GeoServer license will be patched to permit this.

(1) Should we change the GeoServer license to include a more generic exception so that we do not have to patch it for each new EPL-1.0 dependency?

(2) Should we change the GeoServer licence to a well-known EPL-compatible license, such as GPLv2+linking-exception or LGPL? Would such a license be strong enough?

(3) Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers? And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

Kind regards,

--
Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com>
Director
Transient Software Limited <http://transient.nz/&gt;
New Zealand

2

On 17 September 2017 at 14:59, Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com> wrote:

GeoServer is licensed under the GPLv2 with exceptions for named Eclipse
libraries whose EPL-1.0 licenses would otherwise be incompatible with the
GPL. The status-monitoring community module adds another EPL-1.0-licensed
dependency (OSHI); the GeoServer license will be patched to permit this.

(1) Should we change the GeoServer license to include a more generic
exception so that we do not have to patch it for each new EPL-1.0
dependency?

I think we could, we were being very cautious when we did the original
change.

(2) Should we change the GeoServer licence to a well-known EPL-compatible
license, such as GPLv2+linking-exception or LGPL? Would such a license be
strong enough?

I do not think it would be strong enough, we had discussed this perviously
with OpenGeo. What it GPLv2+linking-exception?
Reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_linking_exception. So very
similar to the classpath exception.

(3) Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL

dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers?
And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

I will ask on the locationtech list for you.

3

Doing my own quick research on (3):

Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers?

From the FAQ it appears as if we need to wait for EMF and CSD to adopt EPL 2.0: So a project can use the new version by simply updating the file headers and notices.

And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

It looks like this optional for new projects: The new EPL v2 will allow initial contributors to new projects to specify if they want their EPL v2 licensed project to be GPL compatible.

https://www.eclipse.org/org/press-release/20170829eplv2.php

···

On 18 September 2017 at 09:52, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

On 17 September 2017 at 14:59, Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com> wrote:

–
Jody Garnett

GeoServer is licensed under the GPLv2 with exceptions for named Eclipse libraries whose EPL-1.0 licenses would otherwise be incompatible with the GPL. The status-monitoring community module adds another EPL-1.0-licensed dependency (OSHI); the GeoServer license will be patched to permit this.

(1) Should we change the GeoServer license to include a more generic exception so that we do not have to patch it for each new EPL-1.0 dependency?

I think we could, we were being very cautious when we did the original change.

(2) Should we change the GeoServer licence to a well-known EPL-compatible license, such as GPLv2+linking-exception or LGPL? Would such a license be strong enough?

I do not think it would be strong enough, we had discussed this perviously with OpenGeo. What it GPLv2+linking-exception?
Reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_linking_exception. So very similar to the classpath exception.

(3) Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers? And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

I will ask on the locationtech list for you.

4

(3) confirmed - we need to wait for EMF and XSD projects to take action; until then there is nothing for us to change (well other than adding OSHI to the list).

···

On 18 September 2017 at 09:58, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

Doing my own quick research on (3):

Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers?

From the FAQ it appears as if we need to wait for EMF and CSD to adopt EPL 2.0: So a project can use the new version by simply updating the file headers and notices.

And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

It looks like this optional for new projects: The new EPL v2 will allow initial contributors to new projects to specify if they want their EPL v2 licensed project to be GPL compatible.

https://www.eclipse.org/org/press-release/20170829eplv2.php

–
Jody Garnett

–
Jody Garnett

On 18 September 2017 at 09:52, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

On 17 September 2017 at 14:59, Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com> wrote:

GeoServer is licensed under the GPLv2 with exceptions for named Eclipse libraries whose EPL-1.0 licenses would otherwise be incompatible with the GPL. The status-monitoring community module adds another EPL-1.0-licensed dependency (OSHI); the GeoServer license will be patched to permit this.

(1) Should we change the GeoServer license to include a more generic exception so that we do not have to patch it for each new EPL-1.0 dependency?

I think we could, we were being very cautious when we did the original change.

(2) Should we change the GeoServer licence to a well-known EPL-compatible license, such as GPLv2+linking-exception or LGPL? Would such a license be strong enough?

I do not think it would be strong enough, we had discussed this perviously with OpenGeo. What it GPLv2+linking-exception?
Reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_linking_exception. So very similar to the classpath exception.

(3) Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers? And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

I will ask on the locationtech list for you.

5

Will any changes apply to the old versions of EMF and XSD that we use, or only to new releases?

Kind regards,
Ben.

On 19/09/17 10:51, Jody Garnett wrote:

(3) confirmed - we need to wait for EMF and XSD projects to take action;
until then there is nothing for us to change (well other than adding OSHI
to the list).

--
Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com>
Director
Transient Software Limited <http://transient.nz/&gt;
New Zealand

6

Hi all,
thanks for the investigation Jody :slight_smile:

Taking in account everything that has been said I would like to proceed with the initial plan
and proceed in adding an exception for the OSHI library to the GeoServer license.

I don’t really know how to word that exception and add it to the license, here is my take on it:
https://github.com/nmco/geoserver/commit/d3422f28cfe4f31118cd5551bd92992dc0b0a9c8

I guess it can be used a discussion starting point :slight_smile:

Regards,

Nuno Oliveira

···

On 09/18/2017 11:51 PM, Jody Garnett wrote:

(3) confirmed - we need to wait for EMF and XSD projects to take action; until then there is nothing for us to change (well other than adding OSHI to the list).

–
Jody Garnett

On 18 September 2017 at 09:58, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

Doing my own quick research on (3):

Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers?

From the FAQ it appears as if we need to wait for EMF and CSD to adopt EPL 2.0: So a project can use the new version by simply updating the file headers and notices.

And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

It looks like this optional for new projects: The new EPL v2 will allow initial contributors to new projects to specify if they want their EPL v2 licensed project to be GPL compatible.

https://www.eclipse.org/org/press-release/20170829eplv2.php

–
Jody Garnett

On 18 September 2017 at 09:52, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

On 17 September 2017 at 14:59, Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com> wrote:

GeoServer is licensed under the GPLv2 with exceptions for named Eclipse libraries whose EPL-1.0 licenses would otherwise be incompatible with the GPL. The status-monitoring community module adds another EPL-1.0-licensed dependency (OSHI); the GeoServer license will be patched to permit this.

(1) Should we change the GeoServer license to include a more generic exception so that we do not have to patch it for each new EPL-1.0 dependency?

I think we could, we were being very cautious when we did the original change.

(2) Should we change the GeoServer licence to a well-known EPL-compatible license, such as GPLv2+linking-exception or LGPL? Would such a license be strong enough?

I do not think it would be strong enough, we had discussed this perviously with OpenGeo. What it GPLv2+linking-exception?
Reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_linking_exception. So very similar to the classpath exception.

(3) Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers? And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

I will ask on the locationtech list for you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most
engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! [http://sdm.link/slashdot](http://sdm.link/slashdot)

_______________________________________________
Geoserver-devel mailing list
[Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net](mailto:Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net)
[https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel](https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel)


-- 
Regards,
Nuno Oliveira
==
GeoServer Professional Services from the experts! Visit [http://goo.gl/it488V](http://goo.gl/it488V) for more information.
==

Nuno Miguel Carvalho Oliveira
@nmcoliveira
Software Engineer

GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Via di Montramito 3/A
55054  Massarosa (LU)
Italy
phone: +39 0584 962313
fax:      +39 0584 1660272

[http://www.geo-solutions.it](http://www.geo-solutions.it)
[http://twitter.com/geosolutions_it](http://twitter.com/geosolutions_it)

-------------------------------------------------------
AVVERTENZE AI SENSI DEL D.Lgs. 196/2003
Le informazioni contenute in questo messaggio di posta elettronica e/o nel/i file/s allegato/i sono da considerarsi strettamente riservate. Il loro utilizzo è consentito esclusivamente al destinatario del messaggio, per le finalità indicate nel messaggio stesso. Qualora riceviate questo messaggio senza esserne il destinatario, Vi preghiamo cortesemente di darcene notizia via e-mail e di procedere alla distruzione del messaggio stesso, cancellandolo dal Vostro sistema. Conservare il messaggio stesso, divulgarlo anche in parte, distribuirlo ad altri soggetti, copiarlo, od utilizzarlo per finalità diverse, costituisce comportamento contrario ai principi dettati dal D.Lgs. 196/2003.
 
The information in this message and/or attachments, is intended solely for the attention and use of the named addressee(s) and may be confidential or proprietary in nature or covered by the provisions of privacy act (Legislative Decree June, 30 2003, no.196 - Italy's New Data Protection Code).Any use not in accord with its purpose, any disclosure, reproduction, copying, distribution, or either dissemination, either whole or partial, is strictly forbidden except previous formal approval of the named addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, please contact immediately the sender by telephone, fax or e-mail and delete the information in this message that has been received in error. The sender does not give any warranty or accept liability as the content, accuracy or completeness of sent messages and accepts no responsibility  for changes made after they were sent or for other risks which arise as a result of e-mail transmission, viruses, etc.
7

I created a PR on GeoServer to ease the discussion, the PR already includes Jody feedback.

Thanks,

Nuno Oliveira

···

On 09/19/2017 02:02 PM, Nuno Oliveira wrote:

Hi all,
thanks for the investigation Jody :slight_smile:

Taking in account everything that has been said I would like to proceed with the initial plan
and proceed in adding an exception for the OSHI library to the GeoServer license.

I don’t really know how to word that exception and add it to the license, here is my take on it:
https://github.com/nmco/geoserver/commit/d3422f28cfe4f31118cd5551bd92992dc0b0a9c8

I guess it can be used a discussion starting point :slight_smile:

Regards,

Nuno Oliveira

-- 
Regards,
Nuno Oliveira
==
GeoServer Professional Services from the experts! Visit [http://goo.gl/it488V](http://goo.gl/it488V) for more information.
==

Nuno Miguel Carvalho Oliveira
@nmcoliveira
Software Engineer

GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Via di Montramito 3/A
55054  Massarosa (LU)
Italy
phone: +39 0584 962313
fax:      +39 0584 1660272

[http://www.geo-solutions.it](http://www.geo-solutions.it)
[http://twitter.com/geosolutions_it](http://twitter.com/geosolutions_it)

-------------------------------------------------------
AVVERTENZE AI SENSI DEL D.Lgs. 196/2003
Le informazioni contenute in questo messaggio di posta elettronica e/o nel/i file/s allegato/i sono da considerarsi strettamente riservate. Il loro utilizzo è consentito esclusivamente al destinatario del messaggio, per le finalità indicate nel messaggio stesso. Qualora riceviate questo messaggio senza esserne il destinatario, Vi preghiamo cortesemente di darcene notizia via e-mail e di procedere alla distruzione del messaggio stesso, cancellandolo dal Vostro sistema. Conservare il messaggio stesso, divulgarlo anche in parte, distribuirlo ad altri soggetti, copiarlo, od utilizzarlo per finalità diverse, costituisce comportamento contrario ai principi dettati dal D.Lgs. 196/2003.
 
The information in this message and/or attachments, is intended solely for the attention and use of the named addressee(s) and may be confidential or proprietary in nature or covered by the provisions of privacy act (Legislative Decree June, 30 2003, no.196 - Italy's New Data Protection Code).Any use not in accord with its purpose, any disclosure, reproduction, copying, distribution, or either dissemination, either whole or partial, is strictly forbidden except previous formal approval of the named addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, please contact immediately the sender by telephone, fax or e-mail and delete the information in this message that has been received in error. The sender does not give any warranty or accept liability as the content, accuracy or completeness of sent messages and accepts no responsibility  for changes made after they were sent or for other risks which arise as a result of e-mail transmission, viruses, etc.

On 09/18/2017 11:51 PM, Jody Garnett wrote:

(3) confirmed - we need to wait for EMF and XSD projects to take action; until then there is nothing for us to change (well other than adding OSHI to the list).

–
Jody Garnett

On 18 September 2017 at 09:58, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

Doing my own quick research on (3):

Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers?

From the FAQ it appears as if we need to wait for EMF and CSD to adopt EPL 2.0: So a project can use the new version by simply updating the file headers and notices.

And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

It looks like this optional for new projects: The new EPL v2 will allow initial contributors to new projects to specify if they want their EPL v2 licensed project to be GPL compatible.

https://www.eclipse.org/org/press-release/20170829eplv2.php

–
Jody Garnett

On 18 September 2017 at 09:52, Jody Garnett <jody.garnett@anonymised.com> wrote:

On 17 September 2017 at 14:59, Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben@anonymised.com> wrote:

GeoServer is licensed under the GPLv2 with exceptions for named Eclipse libraries whose EPL-1.0 licenses would otherwise be incompatible with the GPL. The status-monitoring community module adds another EPL-1.0-licensed dependency (OSHI); the GeoServer license will be patched to permit this.

(1) Should we change the GeoServer license to include a more generic exception so that we do not have to patch it for each new EPL-1.0 dependency?

I think we could, we were being very cautious when we did the original change.

(2) Should we change the GeoServer licence to a well-known EPL-compatible license, such as GPLv2+linking-exception or LGPL? Would such a license be strong enough?

I do not think it would be strong enough, we had discussed this perviously with OpenGeo. What it GPLv2+linking-exception?
Reading - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPL_linking_exception. So very similar to the classpath exception.

(3) Now that EPL-2.0 is final, can we just choose to use our EPL dependencies under EPL-2.0, or do we need action from their maintainers? And is EPL-2.0 compatible with GPLv2 after all?

I will ask on the locationtech list for you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most
engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! [http://sdm.link/slashdot](http://sdm.link/slashdot)

_______________________________________________
Geoserver-devel mailing list
[Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net](mailto:Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net)
[https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel](https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel)


-- 
Regards,
Nuno Oliveira
==
GeoServer Professional Services from the experts! Visit [http://goo.gl/it488V](http://goo.gl/it488V) for more information.
==

Nuno Miguel Carvalho Oliveira
@nmcoliveira
Software Engineer

GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Via di Montramito 3/A
55054  Massarosa (LU)
Italy
phone: +39 0584 962313
fax:      +39 0584 1660272

[http://www.geo-solutions.it](http://www.geo-solutions.it)
[http://twitter.com/geosolutions_it](http://twitter.com/geosolutions_it)

-------------------------------------------------------
AVVERTENZE AI SENSI DEL D.Lgs. 196/2003
Le informazioni contenute in questo messaggio di posta elettronica e/o nel/i file/s allegato/i sono da considerarsi strettamente riservate. Il loro utilizzo è consentito esclusivamente al destinatario del messaggio, per le finalità indicate nel messaggio stesso. Qualora riceviate questo messaggio senza esserne il destinatario, Vi preghiamo cortesemente di darcene notizia via e-mail e di procedere alla distruzione del messaggio stesso, cancellandolo dal Vostro sistema. Conservare il messaggio stesso, divulgarlo anche in parte, distribuirlo ad altri soggetti, copiarlo, od utilizzarlo per finalità diverse, costituisce comportamento contrario ai principi dettati dal D.Lgs. 196/2003.
 
The information in this message and/or attachments, is intended solely for the attention and use of the named addressee(s) and may be confidential or proprietary in nature or covered by the provisions of privacy act (Legislative Decree June, 30 2003, no.196 - Italy's New Data Protection Code).Any use not in accord with its purpose, any disclosure, reproduction, copying, distribution, or either dissemination, either whole or partial, is strictly forbidden except previous formal approval of the named addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, please contact immediately the sender by telephone, fax or e-mail and delete the information in this message that has been received in error. The sender does not give any warranty or accept liability as the content, accuracy or completeness of sent messages and accepts no responsibility  for changes made after they were sent or for other risks which arise as a result of e-mail transmission, viruses, etc.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most
engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! [http://sdm.link/slashdot](http://sdm.link/slashdot)

_______________________________________________
Geoserver-devel mailing list
[Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net](mailto:Geoserver-devel@lists.sourceforge.net)
[https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel](https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geoserver-devel)