On Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:03:56 +1000 Bojan Smojver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> On Wed, 2007-08-08 at 00:18 +0100, Nick Kew wrote: > > > And I > > think it means we're excused having to think through every > > usage scenario. > > I kind of remember this discussion from awhile ago (the issue was > raised by some senior ASF folks, I think). Whoa! ASF is flat. Noone is senior or junior. Though we do have different interests and roles. > Even dynamic linking, according to FSF, is a no-no: > > http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-faq.html#LinkingWithGPL > http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl-faq.html#GPLPluginsInNF APR is not linking to it. We're making that an option, but absolutely not a requirement, even for apr_dbd. MySQL is no more linked than is Oracle (and just consider the implications if we shipped a "derived work" of Oracle)! But that's an argument that could be said to be a grey area. Fortunately, I don't think it's even relevant any more. > So, when our MySQL driver dynamically links MySQL library, which is > under the GPL, we have to either: > > - fall under MySQL FOSS exception > - be GPL ourselves Suppose our project was not FOSS, and that it did depend absolutely on MySQL. Does that mean we can't distribute it? Nope, it just means we'd have to negotiate a deal with MySQL permitting us to distribute it on our own terms - whatever they may be. And indeed we have *exactly* such a deal. Whatever doubt there may be over the applicability of the GPL or the FOSS Exception to us, MySQL has helpfully published Appendix A to their FOSS exception, *explicitly* permitting APR/APU to be distributed under ASL. That is a clear and unambiguous yes. > Obviously, all the folks out there that are shipping APU with the > driver included under the ASL licence are just fine (MySQL AB > considers them under FOSS exception). However, folks shipping APU > under a proprietary licence must buy a commercial MySQL licence or > not distribute the driver. Nope. Folks shipping APU are bound by the ASL, and can do what the ASL permits. GPL is not relevant to that. I think there remains one concession here. The build should default to --without-mysql, so that people don't link it unintentionally. -- Nick Kew Application Development with Apache - the Apache Modules Book http://www.apachetutor.org/
