[ros-dev] GPLv3 Migration - flamewar warning

[Steven Edwards]

Hi,
I've been inactive for a while and most likely will be so for a while
however I thought this would be a good time to bring up the GPLv3 due
to its recent release. Does anyone have any objections to license as
it stands now? If you've not had a chance to review it I suggest you
do so. I am happy to help answer any questions regarding the license
as I did take part in early drafting on behalf of the ReactOS and Wine
Projects although I am not a lawyer and anything I say should be at
least reviewed by the SFLC or your own lawyers.

It is my suggestion that if there are no objections then we start to
contact each developer requesting them to dual license existing code
as GPLv2/GPLv3 and use the same tracking system as the audit system to
do the migration.

ReactOS has never been really clear on the "or later version" clause
in the GPL. The ReactOS license includes the text and the license
number is not specified in most of the ReactOS sources, though I don't
think it would be fair to simply take all of the source and re-license
it without some discussions and a vote.

It would also be possible to distribute ReactOS under both licenses
via dual licensing as a possible compromise if a dispute arises. This
would mean if some third party (Third Party A) wants to take ReactOS
enhance it and then resell it, they would not have to worry about
another third party (Third Party B) taking their modifications and
redistributing them for profit without the patent protections of the
GPLv3 and the Anti-Tivoization clauses. The only downside to this is
if Third Party A is only making changes under GPLv3 then those changes
could not go back in to ReactOS trunk. I don't think this is a major
issue, as I expect both third parties to be proprietary vendors making
enhancements that the Project might not want/need in the trunk in any
case. Third Party A in the interest of keeping forking to a minimal
would still send bug fixes back up both licenses.


Thanks

-- 
Steven Edwards

"There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and
that is an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo