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Licensing - Apache Compatible with GPLv3. Will EPL? [message #45960]

Fri, 01 June 2007 03:55

Eclipse User

Now that the FSF have announced that the GPLv3 License will be
compatible with ASFv2, will the EPL be compatible. If it can be, then
this will be a BIG plus.

Someone care to comment?

Re: Licensing - Apache Compatible with GPLv3. Will EPL? [message #45981 is a reply to message #45960]

Fri, 01 June 2007 10:19

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: alex_blewitt.yahoo.com

Note that Apache haven't said anything on the subject yet. As such, the GPLv3 isn't necessarily compatible; you're just hearing one side.

There still seems to be some debate about it, by the way. Even if they are compatible, it doesn't hold that compatibility is transitive. A male plug can join a female socket; a female socket can join a male plug; but that doesn't mean that a male plug can join a male plug.

Alex.

Re: Licensing - Apache Compatible with GPLv3. Will EPL? [message #46004 is a reply to message #45981]

Fri, 01 June 2007 10:26

Eclipse User

Originally posted by: alex_blewitt.yahoo.com

NB

1) you should always ask *your* lawyer. Doesn't matter what other lawyers think.

2) I'm not associated with the foundation, and I'm not answering for anyone other than me.

3) Even if the GPL and AL are compatible, I strongly doubt that anyone at Eclipse wants to use anything other than EPL or would consider doing so.

Re: Licensing - Apache Compatible with GPLv3. Will EPL? [message #46032 is a reply to message #46004]

Mon, 04 June 2007 03:37

Eclipse User

Alex Blewitt wrote:
> NB
>
> 1) you should always ask *your* lawyer. Doesn't matter what other lawyers think.
>
> 2) I'm not associated with the foundation, and I'm not answering for anyone other than me.
>
> 3) Even if the GPL and AL are compatible, I strongly doubt that anyone at Eclipse wants to use anything other than EPL or would consider doing so.

I await with baited breath to hear from Apache on this. Thanks for
putting me right on that one.

I agree that Eclipse should not switch licenses, but it would be great
if it could be made compatible with GPLv3. This would open up Eclipse
to a whole new world of code.

Our lawyers a chewing on GPLv2 and 3 at the moment. Not sure what they
are going to make of them.

Re: Licensing - Apache Compatible with GPLv3. Will EPL? [message #46064 is a reply to message #45960]

Fri, 08 June 2007 11:26

Eclipse User

I can tell you that we *are* looking at GPLv3 to see if there are ways that
the EPL could be compatible with it. So far, no joy. But I do think it's an
intriguing opportunity so its worth the time and effort to investigate
thoroughly.

Hell will freeze over before we switch from the EPL to the GPL, regardless
of what it says in the article[1] linked to from Wikipedia. Disregarding any
philosophical differences, as a practical matter it is impossible. The way
the EPL and the Eclipse Foundation works means that the original authors
retain ownership of the materials and we would need their written permission
to switch licenses. When we switched from CPL to EPL we went and asked every
single contributor to agree to the change. That was really hard. And three
years ago we had a lot less code and a lot fewer projects than we have now.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_(software)#_note-3

"Darren Bell" <djb@dolby.co.uk> wrote in message
news:f3ojdm$btt$1@build.eclipse.org...
> Now that the FSF have announced that the GPLv3 License will be compatible
> with ASFv2, will the EPL be compatible. If it can be, then this will be a
> BIG plus.
>
> Someone care to comment?

Re: Licensing - Apache Compatible with GPLv3. Will EPL? [message #46095 is a reply to message #46064]

Fri, 08 June 2007 11:46

Eclipse User

Duh. Sorry. My name wasn't set when I wrote that post.

Mike Milinkovich
Executive Director
Eclipse Foundation

"eclipse.org" <mike.milinkovich@eclipse.org> wrote in message
news:f4bseu$tia$1@build.eclipse.org...
>I can tell you that we *are* looking at GPLv3 to see if there are ways that
>the EPL could be compatible with it. So far, no joy. But I do think it's an
>intriguing opportunity so its worth the time and effort to investigate
>thoroughly.
>
> Hell will freeze over before we switch from the EPL to the GPL, regardless
> of what it says in the article[1] linked to from Wikipedia. Disregarding
> any philosophical differences, as a practical matter it is impossible. The
> way the EPL and the Eclipse Foundation works means that the original
> authors retain ownership of the materials and we would need their written
> permission to switch licenses. When we switched from CPL to EPL we went
> and asked every single contributor to agree to the change. That was really
> hard. And three years ago we had a lot less code and a lot fewer projects
> than we have now.
>
> [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_(software)#_note-3
>
> "Darren Bell" <djb@dolby.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:f3ojdm$btt$1@build.eclipse.org...
>> Now that the FSF have announced that the GPLv3 License will be compatible
>> with ASFv2, will the EPL be compatible. If it can be, then this will be
>> a BIG plus.
>>
>> Someone care to comment?
>
>

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