Hello, I'm considering packaging reduce from here: http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/reduce.php
However, the licence seems to be non-free, despite saying "This is free software": http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/index.php [...] // NOTICE: This is free software and the source code is freely // available. You are free to redistribute or modify under the // conditions that (1) this notice is not removed or modified // in any way and (2) any modified versions of the program are // also available for free. // ** Absolutely no Warranty **
Am I correct?
Regards, Dominik
On 07/15/2013 04:56 PM, Dominik 'Rathann' Mierzejewski wrote:
Hello, I'm considering packaging reduce from here: http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/reduce.php
However, the licence seems to be non-free, despite saying "This is free software": http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/index.php [...] // NOTICE: This is free software and the source code is freely // available. You are free to redistribute or modify under the // conditions that (1) this notice is not removed or modified // in any way and (2) any modified versions of the program are // also available for free. // ** Absolutely no Warranty **
Am I correct?
That is a poorly worded license. You might email them and ask them to clarify the meaning of clause (2). I still think I'd want them to reword it or drop it though. If they mean "free" as in "not for sale", it is non-free. If they mean "free" as in "under the same license terms", maybe... although I could still read that as potentially non-free. I'm not sure what they're trying to prevent in clause (2).
~tom
== Fedora Project
On Monday, 15 July 2013 at 23:10, Tom Callaway wrote:
On 07/15/2013 04:56 PM, Dominik 'Rathann' Mierzejewski wrote:
Hello, I'm considering packaging reduce from here: http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/reduce.php
However, the licence seems to be non-free, despite saying "This is free software": http://kinemage.biochem.duke.edu/software/index.php [...] // NOTICE: This is free software and the source code is freely // available. You are free to redistribute or modify under the // conditions that (1) this notice is not removed or modified // in any way and (2) any modified versions of the program are // also available for free. // ** Absolutely no Warranty **
Am I correct?
That is a poorly worded license. You might email them and ask them to clarify the meaning of clause (2). I still think I'd want them to reword it or drop it though. If they mean "free" as in "not for sale", it is non-free. If they mean "free" as in "under the same license terms", maybe... although I could still read that as potentially non-free. I'm not sure what they're trying to prevent in clause (2).
Thanks, Tom. That's what I thought as well. I sent them an e-mail asking to relicense under MIT or BSD if possible or at least clarify the text.
Regards, Dominik
-
Dominik 'Rathann' Mierzejewski -
Tom Callaway