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FSF: New Apache License not GPL-Compatible

Posted by timothy on from the clashing-clauses dept.

__past__ writes "It seems that the XFree86 issue is not the only licensing battle currently fought in the FLOSS world: An update to the FSF's list of Free Software licenses lists the new Apache License, Version 2.0 (which has been discussed on Slashdot before) as not being GPL-compatible, due to a clause related to software patents." (Read on for more.)

__past__ continues "The new version of the Apache license will apply to all Apache projects, including the popular web server and many Java libraries like Xerces and Log4J, and making it easier to integrate Apache- and GNU-licensed code was one of the primary goals for its development. With the new license being GPL-incompatible (just like the older Apache licenses were), it is not possible to distribute programs that use libraries covered by under it and others covered by the GPL.

Apparently, the FSF does not actually consider the patent-related clauses a bad idea, let alone non-free - it is just that they impose a restriction that the GPL does not, and that makes the license automatically incompatible. It might even be that GPL Version 3 will include similar statements or at least allow them, as a message from FSF legal counsel Eben Moglen indicates. Additionally, prominent Apache hacker Roy Fielding claims that it doesn't really matter what the FSF thinks about the matter, because according to the Apache Software Foundation, derived works can just be distributed under the GPL."

16 of 405 comments (clear)

  1. first! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    first!first!first!first!

    1. Re:first! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      CONGRATULATIONS! You have achieved first post! Your reward: precisely nothing, except the satisfaction that you have prevented some lin_uh_x geek from obtaining an fp. Continue the good work.

      WSL3

  2. Ok by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Is this good or is this whack?

    1. Re:Ok by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      shmack

  3. What Indians say about outsourcing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news& Story_ID=021817


    Mr Bush feels shy of admitting the fact that his own people are not competent to compete in the international market and he also feels that he can do or undo any thing on the strength of the money. Basically this has been the reason that the American companies have been forced to discriminate against their own people and giving jobs to people from other countries. If at all intends to put a check on the process, he should evolve some alternate mechanism instead of resorting to the undemocratic measure. He is tending to be protectionist at the cost of others. Why this hypocrisy? Mr Bush must realise the harsh realities of the globalisation. He should realise that any move to ban the outsourcing would eventually bring in more perils for him and his country.
    1. Re:What Indians say about outsourcing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Are you threating me, Abu? I will buy my Slushee from Mohommad at the 7-11, thank you very much.

  4. Crap! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Oh la la!

  5. Wait for the new David E Kelly series. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Brock Manning: Code Shyster. All the existential angst of Ally McBeal with an air-tight reason the principal never gets laid, and more topical buzzword techology centered plots for all the disillusioned Star Trek geeks.

  6. A Special Message from G. W. Bush: +1, Inspiring by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic


    Courtesy of The White House

    N WEEKLY RADIO ADDRESS, PRESIDENT CONDEMNS SAN FRANCISCO SODOMITES FOR HAVING RUINED VALENTINES DAY BY FALLING IN LOVE
    Official Transcript: President's Radio Address

    THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This past week, in a shockingly impudent act of civil disobedience, San Francissyco Mayor Gavin Newsom gave the green light to open the gates of Hell and start marrying off pole-smokers and rug-munchers just as fast as his limp-wristed little lady paw could sign swishy John Hancocks on Fagtown wedding licenses. To add insult to injury, Mr. Newsom - a Democrat, naturally - intentionally kicked off this abomination on Valentines Day, a holiday invented by Hallmark specifically so normal people could look down on queers.

    Well Mayor Felcher has another thing coming if he thinks I'm just gonna sit idly by with Laura's thumb up my ass while he repudiates California Governor Schwarzenigger's wholesomeness by sanctifying the unholy unions of pitcher and catcher, butch and dyke, village person and other village person, and so on down the mincing cunga line.

    Now, don't get me wrong. When you're nine years old, it's perfectly normal behavior to, say, get a little frisky with your fellow Kamp Kayuga Kemosabe bunkmates - so long as it stays in the showers or the woods. But when you keep on playing "Doggy, Doggy, Where's Your Bone?" or "Fist the Tail of the Donkey" right into adultdom, you might as
    STOLEN! TOP-SECRET!
    ON SALE EVERYWHERE!
    (book information)
    Republican Lady Things:
    Bumper Sticker Sale:
    well paint a pentagram on the ground with fetus blood, piss on the bible, and cry aloud, "Are you there, Satan? It's me, Mary!" And no, I ain't talking about the Virgin Matriarch.

    As President, it is my responsibility to confront any and all such enemies of the libidinal status quo. And so this morning, in addition to calling on Congress to pass my constitutional amendment, I want to deliver a brief message to any Bay Area sodomites who might be thinking of sashaying down to city hall to get themselves one of these novelty fake marriages. Here we go...

    Attention all deviant abominations of San Francisco. This is your President you voted overwhelmingly against speaking. As you no doubt have been told, same-sex marriage is illegal in the state of California. That said, I know that many of you Adams and Steves believe that by breaking that law, you are being some kind of civil rights trailblazers. You think you're like that rude colored lady Rosa Parks, who suffered from delusions of non-inferiority. You think you're like that uppity broad Susan B. Anthony, who hallucinated that women are capable of having opinions. And yes, you probably think you're like Richard and Mildred Loving, who demanded that Virginia give them special rights to flaunt the unthinkable perversion of interracial marriage. Well guess what? You're right. You're just like all of those people - a sickening byproduct of liberalism. But just like my right-wing personal forefathers who fought tooth and nail against the aforementioned scum, I too shall do everything in my power to ensure that you remain second-class citizens: reviled, despised, and worthy only of being dragged for miles behind the pickup trucks of my most devoted ideological brethren.

    In short, go ahead and try to marry your own gender. But know that when any man fucks with another man, he's also fucking with a Bush. And when you do that, a Bush gets nasty. And a nasty Bush is the last thing you wanna fuck around with. Just ask my dad.

    Thank you for listening, and God Bless America.

  7. Who can we blame? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Blame Canada, blame canada!

  8. Cry me a river by Oz0ne · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    you damn commie bastards.

  9. I thank you 7or your time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    the reaper In a raise or lower the ASSOCIATION OF Had become like schemes. Frankly Completely before things in but now they're and arms and dick Its corpse turned lesson and interest in having implementation to ooficers. Others is also a miserable confirmed that *BSD under the GPL. committerbase and diseases. The AMERICA) might be

  10. wow .. who rebooted apache ? by x31forest · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Slashdot was down for at least 10 seconds with a Error 590.

    Tsk tsk.

  11. Shared objects GPL / Apache legal question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I'm developing a game the uses SDL (via GPL/LGPL) (for graphics) and Xerces (via Apache) (for config files, save state files, etc...). I plan to release my game under the GPL. Both SDL and Xerces will be linked dynamically on Linux, Win32, etc... I have no interest in using a different license for my own project.

    Does this license issue now mean that I can't legally use Xerces with my project?

    I read the FAQ about the GPL and its 'freedoms' and 'restrictions' on the GNU web site, but I'm still a bit baffled. It seems that I am able to use Xerces from a GPL program [1], but I'm not sure. This whole fuss seems a bit anal.

    [1] Can I write free software that uses non-free libraries?
    http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.ht ml#FSWithNFL ibs

  12. Dissertation on the uselessness of Linux zealots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    http://www.osnews.com/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=3646&t =3646#reply_3646

    The above link will take you to a place on OSNEWS.com that someone named "asdf" wrote about the Uselessness of Linux Zealots. With Raymond and Stallman now whining about the current situation in the "open source" world I have to say these cry babies are not happy with anything. Can you still see the code? Yes, Does this mean you still can customize the code? Yes. Stop whining. And to all flamers, please please start up. If you were so "free" you would be using HURD.

  13. Re:Retroactive... by bonch · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Longhorn is targeted for late 2005/early 2006. This has never, EVER changed.

    I don't know why Slashdotters keep acting like there's some sort of release date slipping when there's never been a release date, and the target date has only changed by months.

    Just an off-topic rant on your little "Longhorn circa 2008" quip...it seems to keep showing up in other misinformed comments.