Hi all,
Another quick status on ICU license issues.
1) The ucm file data from ICU
Although I don't have an official OK from IBM for using the ucm files as input into a
code-generating program, I think it is probably OK to use them (as I've said before).
This opinion is reinforced by my discovery that the data the ucm files are based on is
publicly available. If one wanted to order the info, this is how one would do that:
-call 1-800-879-2755
-order publication SC09-2190-00 "CHARACTER DATA REPRESENTATION ARCHITECTURE -
REFERENCE AND REGISTRY" which comes with 2 CD-ROMS of data.
-the price is approximately USD 75 + tax.
I don't know if there are license restrictions in this publication covering the use of
the data however, so I can't state categorically that it would be OK to use it.
One could always reverse-engineer the data, however, which would be legal as far as I
know. That probably would make it all a "moot point" - pseudo-lawyer talk for "it
doesn't matter anyhow so who cares".
2) I asked the FSF about linking the IPLd ICU into a GPL program and they have
confirmed my suspicion that this doesn't work license-wise. I reported this to the
open-source software lawyer-type at IBM and he seems anxious to resolve the issue. In
theory FSF and IBM are talking about how to fix things. The IBM guy has promised to
keep me posted on further developments.
=Ed
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