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Re: License issues

 

> On Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 12:30 PM, Sergei Golubchik <serg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>> I think we're not the only GPLv2 project out there. And as unfortunate
>> as it is, we cannot change it.
>> Some distributions decided to maintain readline v5 package, in parallel
>> to the latest readline. This seems to be the most reasonable approach -
>> mysql and mariadb can use system readline, and even GPLv2 software that
>> don't bundle readline can be used too.
>
> Unrelated to MariaDB or MySQL, but as a general point: the readline v5
> that is GPLv2 licensed can also be linked with software that is under
> the GPLv3, if it is licensed with the "any later version" wording. (I
> didn't actually confirm that it is.) Hence, a distribution like Mageia
> could ship readline v5 and satisfy both GPLv2 apps and GPLv3 apps.
> Otoh by shipping newer GPLv3 version of readline you leave GPLv2
> projects out of luck.

yes, i figured that, but readline v5 would mean likely no maintained
version from upstream, likely...

> (I'm pretty sure readline developers didn't quite realize what they
> were doing here. Their original goal with their choice of license was
> to create an advantage for GPL licensed apps, now they are doing
> exactly the opposite.)
>
> henrik

since readline is on gnu, i'm pretty sure they know _exactly_ what they
are doing... RMS just wants to force GPLv3 down everyones throat :-(


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