Обсуждение: License Issue
PostGresQL Admin,
I am part of an organization that is beginning to write commercial applications for various Portals (Liferay, etc.). We would like to be able to deploy PostGresQL as the lightweight database for the Portal to connect to. Our request for approval to our Legal Department has stalled due to the following language in one of the files:
File: src/backend/port/dynloader/readme.dlfcn.aix
Language: "Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and redistribute this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain profit from it..."
We are not planning to modify PostGreSQL, nor charging for support services.
Given that we are building commercial applications, can I get confirmation that we allowed to use (in-house) and deploy (to our customers) PostGresQL to support our applications?
Thank you,
____________________________________________________________________
Randy May
Вложения
On Tue, 2009-04-21 at 11:13 -0400, May, Randy wrote: > PostGresQL Admin, > This is more of a hackers discussion. I am forwarding there. -Hackers, Do we have a history on this file? Joshua D. Drake > > > I am part of an organization that is beginning to write commercial > applications for various Portals (Liferay, etc.). We would like to be > able to deploy PostGresQL as the lightweight database for the Portal > to connect to. Our request for approval to our Legal Department has > stalled due to the following language in one of the files: > > > > File: src/backend/port/dynloader/readme.dlfcn.aix > > Language: "Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and > redistribute this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain > profit from it..." > > > > We are not planning to modify PostGreSQL, nor charging for support > services. > > > > Given that we are building commercial applications, can I get > confirmation that we allowed to use (in-house) and deploy (to our > customers) PostGresQL to support our applications? > > > > Thank you, > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Randy May > > > > > > -- PostgreSQL - XMPP: jdrake@jabber.postgresql.org Consulting, Development, Support, Training 503-667-4564 - http://www.commandprompt.com/ The PostgreSQL Company, serving since 1997
May, Randy wrote:
> PostGresQL Admin,
>
>
>
> I am part of an organization that is beginning to write commercial
> applications for various Portals (Liferay, etc.). We would like to be
> able to deploy PostGresQL as the lightweight database for the Portal to
> connect to. Our request for approval to our Legal Department has
> stalled due to the following language in one of the files:
>
>
>
> File: src/backend/port/dynloader/readme.dlfcn.aix
The actual file name, case-sensitive, is:
File: src/backend/port/dynloader/README.dlfcn.aix
> Language: "Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and
> redistribute this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain
> profit from it..."
>
>
>
> We are not planning to modify PostGreSQL, nor charging for support
> services.
>
>
>
> Given that we are building commercial applications, can I get
> confirmation that we allowed to use (in-house) and deploy (to our
> customers) PostGresQL to support our applications?
Wow, I don't remember anyone seeing that before, and am sure it would
have been an issue if they had seen it because it has been in the source
tree since 1997/12/19. And aix.[ch] have unusual copyrights:
* @(#)dlfcn.h 1.4 revision of 95/04/25 09:36:52
* This is an unpublished work copyright (c) 1992 HELIOS Software GmbH
* 30159 Hannover, Germany
What does "unpublished work" mean? I assume the copyright in the README
is meant to apply to the aix.[ch] files based on it being the same
company name, and AIX.
Obviously the license only applies to AIX but I wonder if we should just
remove the files at some point and require an AIX user to reimplement
this. I see a mention of the copyright from 1999:
http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/1999-12/msg00747.php
and another in 2007:
http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2007-03/msg01450.php
but no one seems to have noticed the README text.
I think this got missed because it starts out like a BSD license, then
has the "no profit" clause added:
Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and redistribute
this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain profit from it,
the author is not construed to be liable for any results of using the
software, alterations are clearly marked as such, and this notice is
not modified.
Can someone contat the author company? I think this is them:
http://www.helios.de/
HELIOS Software GmbH
Steinriede 3
D-30827 Garbsen, Germany
Phone: +49 5131 709320
--
Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us
EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com
+ If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +
Admin folks, please don't reply to this email; the discussion will continue on hackers; thanks. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- bruce wrote: > May, Randy wrote: > > PostGresQL Admin, > > > > > > > > I am part of an organization that is beginning to write commercial > > applications for various Portals (Liferay, etc.). We would like to be > > able to deploy PostGresQL as the lightweight database for the Portal to > > connect to. Our request for approval to our Legal Department has > > stalled due to the following language in one of the files: > > > > > > > > File: src/backend/port/dynloader/readme.dlfcn.aix > > The actual file name, case-sensitive, is: > > File: src/backend/port/dynloader/README.dlfcn.aix > > > Language: "Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and > > redistribute this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain > > profit from it..." > > > > > > > > We are not planning to modify PostGreSQL, nor charging for support > > services. > > > > > > > > Given that we are building commercial applications, can I get > > confirmation that we allowed to use (in-house) and deploy (to our > > customers) PostGresQL to support our applications? > > Wow, I don't remember anyone seeing that before, and am sure it would > have been an issue if they had seen it because it has been in the source > tree since 1997/12/19. And aix.[ch] have unusual copyrights: > > * @(#)dlfcn.h 1.4 revision of 95/04/25 09:36:52 > * This is an unpublished work copyright (c) 1992 HELIOS Software GmbH > * 30159 Hannover, Germany > > What does "unpublished work" mean? I assume the copyright in the README > is meant to apply to the aix.[ch] files based on it being the same > company name, and AIX. > > Obviously the license only applies to AIX but I wonder if we should just > remove the files at some point and require an AIX user to reimplement > this. I see a mention of the copyright from 1999: > > http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/1999-12/msg00747.php > > and another in 2007: > > http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2007-03/msg01450.php > > but no one seems to have noticed the README text. > > I think this got missed because it starts out like a BSD license, then > has the "no profit" clause added: > > Permission is granted to freely use, copy, modify, and redistribute > this software, provided that no attempt is made to gain profit from it, > the author is not construed to be liable for any results of using the > software, alterations are clearly marked as such, and this notice is > not modified. > > Can someone contat the author company? I think this is them: > > http://www.helios.de/ > > HELIOS Software GmbH > Steinriede 3 > D-30827 Garbsen, Germany > Phone: +49 5131 709320 > > -- > Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us > EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com > > + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. + -- Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us EnterpriseDB http://enterprisedb.com + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +