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

[Jan Pokorný]

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.

* * *

Affected packages breakdown

package (considered repo, branch):
- file: GPLv2.1+ source
  (rest of contributors)


booth (https://github.com/ClusterLabs/booth, master):
- src/attr.c: Dejan Muhamedagic
  ()
- src/attr.h: Dejan Muhamedagic
  ()
- src/auth.c: Dejan Muhamedagic
  ()
- src/auth.h: Dejan Muhamedagic
  ()
- src/booth.h: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Dejan Muhamedagic, Dongmao Zhang, Philipp Marek)
- src/config.c: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Daniel Gollub, Dejan Muhamedagic, Kazunori INOUE,
  Philipp Marek, Yuichi SEINO, Yuusuke Iida)
- src/config.h: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Dejan Muhamedagic, Philipp Marek)
- src/handler.c: Philipp Marek
  (Dejan Muhamedagic)
- src/handler.h: Philipp Marek
  (Dejan Muhamedagic)
- src/inline-fn.h: Philipp Marek
  (Dejan Muhamedagic)
- src/log.h: Jiaju Zhang
  (Dejan Muhamedagic, Philipp Marek)
- src/main.c: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Daniel Gollub, Dejan Muhamedagic, Dongmao Zhang,
  Guangliang Zhao, Philipp Marek, Xia Li, Yuich SEINO, Yuusuke Iida)
- src/pacemaker.c: Jiaju Zhang
  (Daniel Gollub, Dejan Muhamedagic, Philipp Marek)
- src/pacemaker.h: Jiaju Zhang
  (Dejan Muhamedagic, Philipp Marek)
- src/raft.c: Philipp Marek
  (Dejan Muhamedagic)
- src/raft.h: Philipp Marek 
  (Dejan Muhamedagic)
- src/request.c: Dejan Muhamedagic
  ()
- src/request.h: Dejan Muhamedagic
  ()
- src/ticket.c: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Dejan Muhamedagic, Dongmao Zhang, Guangliang Zhao,
  Philipp Marek, Yuusuke Iida)
- src/ticket.h: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Dejan Muhamedagic, Dongmao Zhang, Philipp Marek)
- src/timer.c: Dejan Muhamedagic
  (Jiaju Zhang, Philipp Marek)
- src/timer.h: Dejan Muhamedagic
  (Jiaju Zhang, Philipp Marek)
- src/transport.c: Jiaju Zhang
  (Adam Spiers, Dejan Muhamedagic, Dongmao Zhang, Philipp Marek,
   Yuich SEINO)
- src/transport.h: Jiaju Zhang
  (Dejan Muhamedagic, Philipp Marek)
(see also
https://github.com/ClusterLabs/booth/pull/23#issuecomment-193957362)


sbd (https://github.com/ClusterLabs/sbd, master):
- agent/sbd: Lars Marowsky-Bree
  ()
- man/sbd.8.pod: Lars Marowsky-Bree
  ()
- src/sbd-common.c: Lars Marowsky-Bree
  (Andrew Beekhof)
- src/sbd.h: Lars Marowsky-Bree
  (aaronknister, Andrew Beekhof)
- src/sbd-inquisitor.c: Andrew Beekhof
  (aaronknister, Lars Ellenberg)
- src/sbd-md.c: xwhu
  (Andrew Beekhof, Lars Marowsky-Bree)
- src/sbd.sh: Lars Marowsky-Bree
  ()
- tests/regressions.sh: Lars Marowsky-Bree
  ()

-- 
Jan (Poki)
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