Hi Robin - your notion of derivative work is different and broader
than what I'm used to and what I think the common legal meaning is.
Hgsql is just a thin wrapper for convenience around a command that
just calls mysql with your password and user name taken from a
configuration file (so you don't have to supply it at the command line
every time). There's certainly lots of helper applications out there
that are distributed independently of the main application, and who's
copyright and other intellectual property issues are considered
separate from the main application. The simple fact that they do not
run without the main application is enough to insure that users do
obtain the main application to run them. This ensures that the
developers of the main application are fairly compensated - by the
purchase of the main application if it's being sold, or by respecting
the GNU license for the main app if it's not being sold.
In general for people to use the Genome Browser, they'll have to
install MySQL as well. They'll need to either get the GNU or the
commercial license to MySQL at that point. The main advantage of the
commercial license is support for most people. MySQL is not always
the easiest thing to install, so this can be a noticable advantage.
If you were a company that wanted to build your own database engine
that made use of the MySQL source code base, you would have to either
abide by the sticky terms of GNU, or license the source another way.
However for mere users of the database engine this is not much of an
issue, and the main reason to license is support.
Take care,
Jim
On Oct 27, 2008, at 1:46 PM, Kramer, Robin S. (MU-Student) wrote:
> Parts of your distribution are still derivative works for example
> hgsql,
> in that they are not independent (ie hgsql doesn't compile or run
> without mysql.h).
>
> http://www.mysql.com/about/legal/licensing/foss-exception/
>
>
> IE as a FOSS program developer you (CBSC) may develop a derivative
> program and distribute that program provided you and your program
> comply
> with GPL, and it doesn't matter whether you distribute mysql.h or not,
> your work is a derivative, and must comply with the GPL as well.
>
> -Robin Kramer
>
> Hello Robin,
>
> We do not have a license agreement with MySQL. We do not distribute
> MySQL, nor have we imported any of its code. Users who wish to
> compile
> our source code in kent/src/hg/* need to obtain their own copy of
> MySQL.
>
> The Genome Browser source is not derived from MySQL, but simply links
> with its client libraries.
>
> I hope this answers your question. Please feel free to email us again
> should you have further questions.
>
> --
> Brooke Rhead
> UCSC Genome Bioinformatics Group
>
>
> Kramer, Robin S. (MU-Student) wrote:
>> I am just looking at the expense of marketing skills developed while
>> installing the UCSC browser and something that is not clear to me is
> the
>> relicensing of the MySQL header files or derived code.
>>
>> Does, UCSC have some sort of non GPL license agreement with MySQL.
>>
>> http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/es/gpl-license.html
>>
>> Under 3b "You must cause any work that you distribute or publish,
>> that
>> in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any
> part
>> thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties
>> under the terms of this License."
>>
>> -Robin Kramer
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Genome maillist - [email protected]
>> http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/genome
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Genome maillist - [email protected]
> http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/genome
_______________________________________________
Genome maillist - [email protected]
http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/mailman/listinfo/genome
