Re: [asterisk-users] Asterisk/GPL and G.729 licensing
On Tue, Jul 25, 2006 at 03:32:20PM +1000, Nick Hoffman wrote: > Hi guys. I just stumbled upon > http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/index.php?page=Asterisk+G.729+Licensing and > read the section titled "Warning". I'm a bit confused now. Are you > violating the GPL (or any other license) if you sell a computer with > Asterisk and a G.729 license installed? Dislcaimer: IANALATINALA Asterisk can be used under three different licenses: 1. non-free: if you py Digium. Not relevant here. 2. The GNU GPL. The problem is that the GPL has a conflict with openh323, openssl (at least according to some people) and to any code whose redistribution is prohibited due to patentns (e.g: g723.1/g729 codecs) 3. Modified GPL. The GNU GPL with some small exceptions. Those allow linking with openssl, openh323 and with patented code. So as long as you actually use (3) and not (2) and don't violate the terms of the licenses for the code you actually want to redistribute (e.g: read caefully the license of the 'register' utility) you should probably be clear. Some modules have a license that is only GPL (() and not (3)). Those include the mysql module from addons (right?) and probably quite a few third-party modules. You are not allowed to use both such a module and the g729 codec on the same Asterisk system because it would violate either the terms of (2) (the g729 module adds restrictions that conflict with the GPL) or with the GPL terms of thoe modules (the modified GPL adds restrictions that conflict with the original GPL license). -- Tzafrir Cohen sip:[EMAIL PROTECTED] icq#16849755 iax:[EMAIL PROTECTED] +972-50-7952406 jabber:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.xorcom.com ___ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- asterisk-users mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
Re: [asterisk-users] Asterisk/GPL and G.729 licensing
Geez. This is starting to sound like Microsoft licensing. On 7/29/06, Tzafrir Cohen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: On Tue, Jul 25, 2006 at 03:32:20PM +1000, Nick Hoffman wrote:> Hi guys. I just stumbled upon> http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/index.php?page=Asterisk+G.729+Licensing and> read the section titled "Warning". I'm a bit confused now. Are you > violating the GPL (or any other license) if you sell a computer with> Asterisk and a G.729 license installed?Dislcaimer: IANALATINALAAsterisk can be used under three different licenses: 1. non-free: if you py Digium. Not relevant here.2. The GNU GPL. The problem is that the GPL has a conflict withopenh323, openssl (at least according to some people) and to any codewhose redistribution is prohibited due to patentns ( e.g: g723.1/g729codecs)3. Modified GPL. The GNU GPL with some small exceptions. Those allowlinking with openssl, openh323 and with patented code.So as long as you actually use (3) and not (2) and don't violate the terms of the licenses for the code you actually want to redistribute(e.g: read caefully the license of the 'register' utility) you shouldprobably be clear.Some modules have a license that is only GPL (() and not (3)). Those include the mysql module from addons (right?) and probably quite a fewthird-party modules. You are not allowed to use both such a module andthe g729 codec on the same Asterisk system because it would violate either the terms of (2) (the g729 module adds restrictions that conflictwith the GPL) or with the GPL terms of thoe modules (the modified GPLadds restrictions that conflict with the original GPL license).-- Tzafrir Cohen sip:[EMAIL PROTECTED]icq#16849755 iax:[EMAIL PROTECTED]+972-50-7952406 jabber:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.xorcom.com___ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com --asterisk-users mailing listTo UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users-- Lacy MooreAspendora, Inc. ___ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- asterisk-users mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
RE: [asterisk-users] Asterisk/GPL and G.729 licensing
I've just read through the voip-info link and the GPL FAQ. My professional (but not formally legal) interpretation would be: As long as the none-GPL program or module is a separate entity and not actually compiled in to another program, you can consider the two licences seperately. You must comply with both the GPL and the other program's licence, but there is no cross-connection between the two licences. If you can install g729 without recompiling asterisk and remove it again without breaking asterisk (other than g729 support, of course) then the GPL 'Mere aggregation' clause should apply. If the two together truly 'combined two modules into one program' Asterisk would not operate at all with the g729 module removed. I think a good parallel is the Nvidia linux display driver. This is a binary-only, none GPL package but Nvidia specifically allow the Linux version to be freely copied as long as it is not modified. Selling a PC that has Linux installed plus the Nvidia driver would not breach the GPL as long as you seperately comply with the GPL for Linux, and the installed Nvidia code is unmodified so the distribution is permitted by their licence conditions. If you wanted to be absolutely beyond any comebacks from the customer, you could include a declaration that different parts of the system are covered by different copyrights and licences - the Linux OS itself, any installed none-GPL drivers, the PC BIOS, Video BIOS etc. (Come to that, I've never seen any claims that Linux violates the GPL by interacting with the PC BIOS & Video BIOS as it must while booting, and they are most certainly none GPL!) Robert Jenkins. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Lacy Moore - AspendoraSent: 30 July 2006 02:27To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial DiscussionSubject: Re: [asterisk-users] Asterisk/GPL and G.729 licensing Geez. This is starting to sound like Microsoft licensing. On 7/29/06, Tzafrir Cohen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: On Tue, Jul 25, 2006 at 03:32:20PM +1000, Nick Hoffman wrote:> Hi guys. I just stumbled upon> http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/index.php?page=Asterisk+G.729+Licensing and> read the section titled "Warning". I'm a bit confused now. Are you > violating the GPL (or any other license) if you sell a computer with> Asterisk and a G.729 license installed?Dislcaimer: IANALATINALAAsterisk can be used under three different licenses:1. non-free: if you py Digium. Not relevant here.2. The GNU GPL. The problem is that the GPL has a conflict withopenh323, openssl (at least according to some people) and to any codewhose redistribution is prohibited due to patentns ( e.g: g723.1/g729codecs)3. Modified GPL. The GNU GPL with some small exceptions. Those allowlinking with openssl, openh323 and with patented code.So as long as you actually use (3) and not (2) and don't violate the terms of the licenses for the code you actually want to redistribute(e.g: read caefully the license of the 'register' utility) you shouldprobably be clear.Some modules have a license that is only GPL (() and not (3)). Those include the mysql module from addons (right?) and probably quite a fewthird-party modules. You are not allowed to use both such a module andthe g729 codec on the same Asterisk system because it would violateeither the terms of (2) (the g729 module adds restrictions that conflictwith the GPL) or with the GPL terms of thoe modules (the modified GPLadds restrictions that conflict with the original GPL license).-- Tzafrir Cohen sip:[EMAIL PROTECTED]icq#16849755 iax:[EMAIL PROTECTED]+972-50-7952406 jabber:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.xorcom.com___ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com --asterisk-users mailing listTo UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users-- Lacy MooreAspendora, Inc. ___ --Bandwidth and Colocation provided by Easynews.com -- asterisk-users mailing list To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
