[bt-devel] Licensing

[Joachim Ansorg]

Hi!


On Mon, 12 Jun 2000, you wrote:
> Hi, 	I don't know if anyone has followed the problem with Debian
> and KDE because of the incompatibility of the GPL and QPL(Qt
> licence). afaik bibletime is covered by the pure GPL so it's going to
> be in the same boat unless it is changed.

Could you please explain what the problem is ?
I do only know that it can't be used in comapnies with current license, right?
But why is it a problem now? AFAIK it wasn't an issue before.
Is it only a problem with Debian?

> (I'll try and explain if someone wants me to).
>
> 	Would it be possible to change the license of Bibletime by adding
> the exception:
> 'As a special exception, you have permission to link this program with
> the Qt library and distribute executables, as long as you follow the
> requirements of the GNU GPL in regard to all of the software in the
> executable aside from Qt. ' ?

Last time this was on the KDE-Devel list. But isn't it forbidden to use QT in 
companies using the free QT license?
Or am I wrong here?

> This comes from http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/license-list.html as
> the solution to the issue.
>
> Thing is I assume that a license change like is would require consent
> by all of 'The Bibletime Team'. And the consent of the original
> coders of ktipofday and any other GPL'd code from other sources if
> it is to be included.

KTipOfDay is from the KDevelop team.
In 0.3 we use some code from Konqueror and KDevelop.
In 0.2 we used code from KDevelop, KHexEdit and perhaps some other programs.

> After further checking it also looks like swords license needs
> modified (to allow bibletime to be linked with it and Qt). I haven't
> found yet what a suitable exception is, but will let you know if you
> like when I do.

SWORD doesn't use QT so it's not linked to QT ;-)

> Regards,
> 	Daniel
>
>
> P.S. FWIW I'm trying to push for kdelibs to be included in Debian so
> that apps like bibletime could be included as well.
>
> P.P.S. This isn't intended as an attempt to start a flamewar here too,
> just as a statement of what IMHO is the current position.