Re: EULA vs BSL,EULA vs BSL

[Walter Landry]

IOhannes m zmölnig (Debian/GNU)  wrote:
> (please CC me, as i'm not subscribed to the list)
> 
> On 2017-11-20 22:20, Walter Landry wrote:
>>>
>>> now i wonder, are these header files licensed under the EULA or under
>>> the BSL?
>> 
>> Are the headers sufficient for development, or does it require some
>> compiled libraries?  If so, it does not matter if the headers are
>> free, since the libraries will be required for any development anyway.
>> 
> 
> good point, with another fun answer:
> in order to successfully use the entire thing, indeed a non-free shared
> library is required.
> the fun part is, that this library is *not* part of the SDK.
> the library is part of another piece of non-free software. however, this
> other piece (including the library) is not protected by the same EULA,
> and it doesn't forbid the distribution (it doesn't explicitely allow it
> either; so i might need to check that with upstream as well).

I think you are just going to have to check with upstream.  The
licensing is inconsistent.

Walter Landry

Re: EULA vs BSL,EULA vs BSL

[Debian/GNU]

(please CC me, as i'm not subscribed to the list)

On 2017-11-20 22:20, Walter Landry wrote:
>>
>> now i wonder, are these header files licensed under the EULA or under
>> the BSL?
> 
> Are the headers sufficient for development, or does it require some
> compiled libraries?  If so, it does not matter if the headers are
> free, since the libraries will be required for any development anyway.
> 

good point, with another fun answer:
in order to successfully use the entire thing, indeed a non-free shared
library is required.
the fun part is, that this library is *not* part of the SDK.
the library is part of another piece of non-free software. however, this
other piece (including the library) is not protected by the same EULA,
and it doesn't forbid the distribution (it doesn't explicitely allow it
either; so i might need to check that with upstream as well).

in any case, the SDK comes with a thin wrapper (BSL-licensed) that
dlopen()s the library.

so to answer your question: afaict, all the files required to *develop*
software are licensed under the BSL (but protected by "the EULA").
(and to *use* it you need their properietary library, drivers, firmware
and hardware).


@pabs, regarding alternative hardware: this doesn't help me much given
the couple of Decklink cards lying around in my office.


the question however is really targetted at what I am allows to do with
files that include a BSL boilerplate but are hidden behind a EULA that
forbids distribution.

oh, btw:
upstream only introduced that EULA last year or so.
some versions of the headers in question are already shipped in Debian.
most likely these versions pre-date the surrection of the EULA-wall (so
they're distributed under the BSL in good faith).


vcmxfg
IOhannes

Re: EULA vs BSL,EULA vs BSL

[Walter Landry]

IOhannes m zmölnig (Debian/GNU)  wrote:
> hi,
> 
> i was playing with the idea about packaging the Decklink SDK by
> Blackmagic (this is an SDK to access digital video grabbing cards).
> the SDK consists of a dozen or so header files, and some example code,
> including pre-compiled binaries.
> there's also a 200 pages manual on how to use the SDK.
> 
> now they have a very strange licensing policy:
> 
> you can only download the SDK by agreeing to a very restrictive EULA
> (attached; henceforth "the EULA"), which explicitly forbids to
> re-distribute "the software".
> so far so bad.
> 
> however, once you have obtained the SDK, it all becomes a bit blurry for me.
> there is no license file included in the package.
> however, each and every header file (that is: the entire public API of
> the SDK), contains a verbatim license of the BSL (attached).
> 
> now i wonder, are these header files licensed under the EULA or under
> the BSL?

Are the headers sufficient for development, or does it require some
compiled libraries?  If so, it does not matter if the headers are
free, since the libraries will be required for any development anyway.

Cheers,
Walter Landry