[ClusterLabs Developers] [booth][sbd] GPLv2.1+ clarification request

[Andrew Beekhof]

> On 18 Mar 2016, at 5:23 AM, Philipp Marek <philipp.marek at linbit.com> wrote:
> 
> On Thu, Mar 17, 2016 at 06:47:37PM +0100, Jan Pokorný wrote:
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> during latest reviews of packages building on core cluster
>> infrastructure, it turned out there is a frequented (viral?) issue
>> with source files declaring unusual licence: GPLv2.1+.
>> 
>> Affected packages breakdown is at the bottom, including
>> (possibly non-exhaustive) contributors that knowingly or unknowingly
>> contributed under that file-local license.
>> 
>> Now, it is highly questionable what was asserted by this license
>> reference by particular contributors.  The fact is that such a license
>> does not exist.  So the logical implication and view of the situation
>> is that affected files are effectively licensed under GPLv3+.
>> 
>> The other possible view is that it's actually a typo arising from
>> LGPL2.1 vs. GPLv2 confusion, and then again it's unclear which one
>> should apply.
>> 
>> Therefore I would like to start moving towards resolution of this
>> issue by soliciting feedback amongst affected contributors (CC'd)
>> which direction is preferred:
>> 
>> 1. settle down on GPLv2+ (or LGPL2.1+), which will likely require
>>   whole relicensing process, i.e., collecting sign-offs on this by all
>>   contributors in question
>> 
>> 2. clarify that indeed GPLv3+ was meant and adjust the respective
>>   clauses in the source code
>> 
>> 3. keep the status quo, leave it in the shadow zone allowing for
>>   ambiguous interpretations that may leave potential contributors
>>   away from the project(s)
>> 
>> Apparently, both affected packages, booth and sbd, can choose its
>> own direction independently of the other package.
> I'm okay with both, with a slight preference to 2 (moving to GPLv3+).

Please no, anything but v3

> 
> My (brief) look at the header lines via "git blame" says
> 
>    commit 54dc3dc2be33cd977866ce63d8cc74934d21405d
>    Author: Jiaju Zhang <jjzhang at suse.de <mailto:jjzhang at suse.de>>
>    Date:   Wed Aug 24 12:07:22 2011 +0800
> 
>        Initial check-in of the Booth Cluster Ticket Manager.
> 
> so it predates my contributions by quite some time - I'm not sure how much 
> I've got to say in this matter ;)
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Phil
> 
> -- 
> Philipp Marek
> LINBIT | Keeping the Digital World Running
> DRBD - Heartbeat - Corosync - Pacemaker
> 
> DRBD® and LINBIT® are registered trademarks of LINBIT, Austria.

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