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Re: OpenLDAP Licenseing issues



* Kurt D. Zeilenga (Kurt@OpenLDAP.org) wrote:
> There were a number of files in U-Mich LDAP software distribution
> which contained no notice or a notice with no license statement.
> The OpenLDAP Foundation considers each of these files to be
> copyright by U-Mich and subject to the license which U-Mich provided
> in the U-Mich LDAP distribution.  A copy of that license remains
> in the COPYRIGHT file now distributed with OpenLDAP Software.

I have read the U-Mich license which is included in the COPYRIGHT file
and it does not appear to grant the right to modify the work and
redistribute the modified version.  The lack of this right is of concern
to us and I would think it would be of concern to the OpenLDAP
Foundation as well.  An example of where this might come up is shown at
http://www.openldap.org/devel/cvsweb.cgi/libraries/liblutil/setproctitle.c?hideattic=1&sortbydate=0
where a file under the U-Mich license was modified and then distributed.
Can you clarify this apparent discrepancy between the rights grants by
the license and the acts of the OpenLDAP Foundation?

My general feeling on this is that the right to redistribute modified
works was intended to be granted by U-Mich and that they meant to imply
it in their license and that is what the OpenLDAP Foundation has been
operating under.  Having this stated explicitly would benefit anyone
looking at the licenseing for OpenLDAP when determining if they can use
it or if they can include it in their distribution.

Since I would expect this is of concern to the OpenLDAP Foundation I
would hope that they might be willing to clarify it or to contact U-Mich
to have them clarify it since they likely have a contact at U-Mich.  If
the OpenLDAP Foundation does not share my view then I would ask if they
would be kind enough to point us in the right direction at U-Mich so
that we might contact them to resolve this question.

> And, as stated in the OpenLDAP COPYRIGHT file, some files may
> be subject to additional restrictions.
>
> The OpenLDAP Foundation makes no assertion of compatibility or
> incompatibility between terms placed upon OpenLDAP Software by
> its copyright holders and terms placed upon other works by
> their copyright holders which OpenLDAP Software may be combined
> with.

Our primary concern is to understand the licenseing under which 
OpenLDAP is distributed so that we may make an informed decision as
to how it fits in our distribution.  We do not ask the OpenLDAP 
Foundation to make the determination for us as to how OpenLDAP may 
fit into our distribution or how the OpenLDAP licenseing interacts with
other licenses in our distribution but only to clarify the licenseing 
terms under which the OpenLDAP Foundation distributes OpenLDAP.

	Thanks,

		Stephen

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