[Asterisk-Dev] MPL(openh323)/ GPL License issues

[James Courtier-Dutton]

I think the point is that the "* LICENSING" section from the README 
should instead be in the "LICENSE" file. Also, every source code file 
should also have a header containing LICENCE details.

Also, the exception for openh323 should also mean that * has to comply 
with the openh323 licence, and thus include openh323 copyright notices 
all over the * code as well. (See (3) below)

openh323 has these licensing notes:
Note that due to a restriction in the GPL, any application you write 
that uses anything another than GPL, eg our library with MPL, is 
technically in breach of the GPL license. However, it should be noted 
that MPL does not care about the license of the final application, and 
as only the author of the GPL application is in breach of his own 
license and is unlikely to sue themselves for that breach, in practice 
there is no problem with a GPL application using an MPL or any other 
commercial library.

BUT:
The openh323 MPL license also says this: -

3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software 
must display the following acknowledgement:
  *      This product includes software developed by the Network Research
  *      Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.


Jeremy McNamara wrote:
> Read the README file or don't you read them?
> 
> Jeremy McNamara
> 
> 
> Derek Smithies wrote:
> 
>> Jeremy,
>>  I will spell it out.
>>
>> a) It is not clear what license * is under.
>> b) In your litigous society, what could easily happen?
>>
>> c) * is falsely advertising the license it is under.
>>   d) Statements such as the one you made in a previous email are wrong.
>>   "Read the LICENSE file" you wrote.
>>   I did.   The clear implication from reading the license file is that
>>      * is GPL.
>>   Therefore, * is in license violation because it links to openh323.
>>  
>> My suggestion is to be be consistant and clear.
>>
>> Modify every file, every header, to be GPL + openh323 + LSS.
>>
>> Yes, a bit of work. However, do you want the license to be unambiguous?
>>
>>
>> Now, 12+hours have elapsed, and noone else has responded to emails on 
>> this topic.
>>  End of story.
>>
>> Derek.
>> =================================
>>