Re: [pkcs11] Groups - PKCS #11 V2.30 header files uploaded

[Tim Hudson <tjh@cryptsoft.com>]

On 7/06/2013 3:00 AM, Stef Walter wrote:

The original 4 clause BSD license had a similar clause, and was not GPL compatible. You can read the FSF's information about that here: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#OriginalBSD

There are two categories of incompatibly in that list - those that are actually incompatible and those which the FSF or more accurately Richard Stallman simply don't want you to use because the original acknowledgement is considered "obnoxious". In practical terms, you have to actually see the "a module covered by the GPL and a module covered by the LICENSE_NAME cannot legally be linked together" in items in that list to locate something actually being claimed by the FSF as legally incompatible rather than philosophically incompatible.

Read through http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/bsd.html and also do note the conflicting statements at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#OrigBSD which offers a different view point on the topic as well.

Those same pages also list that you simply cannot have a non-free driver with a Linux kernel and contain piles of information about linking approaches and what is considered okay and not okay which are interpretations to support a philosophical viewpoint noted as not supported by the actual license text.

There is a substantial difference you get between the advice from the FSF legal team and the "political team" in this and many areas.

As always, seek legal advice from an appropriately qualified lawyer - I doubt there are any on this mailing list.

However I think you'll find that the new header files will have a different set of text on the front. Whether or not the OASIS text causes problems "However, this document itself may not be modified in any way, including by removing the copyright notice or references to OASIS, except as needed for the purpose of developing any document or deliverable produced by an OASIS Technical Committee (in which case the rules applicable to copyrights, as set forth in the OASIS IPR Policy, must be followed) or as required to translate it into languages other than English." and how that gets reflected into the header files remains to be see.

Tim.
(veteran of many an email exchange with Richard Stallman and many interactions with IP lawyers).