[Java-collab] Re: OpenSource Closed source.... confused...

[Stefan Steiniger]

on a second email from Mars
[I hope you guys from the Java Collab list are not annoyed - but I 
consider such discussion as important]

ok..

unfortunately my english is to bad - so I don't understand all of your 
last email.

but

a) You don't need to start from scratch. You can use the versions from 
the VividSolutions website if they contain the GPL copyright. That means 
for you too - that everything you do will fall under GPL (except you 
never release that officially, i.e. give it to somebody else)

b) VividSolution can re-license their code as they want. But they need 
to remove the GPL license terms. If they did not do that - the software 
is under GPL

c) with respect to the libraries you mention below:
. If the library "jump-workbench-1.2.0.jar" would be contained in the 
EziLink distribution (which does not seem to be the case), then I would 
assume that they use the original JUMP which is under GPL [and then they 
may need to change either their distribution - what they can do as they 
hold the original author copyright - or they publish the code]. Not sure 
what is with the JCS library (jcs-1.1.0-alpha-8.jar). As far as I 
remember it is GPL too - so they may/should change that?

d) all the other libraries need to be checked for their licenses. A 
couple of them use LGPL or Apache. It is "allowed" to include 
functionality from libraries under this license into proprietary code.

e) it seems to me that they have made extra libraries for their own 
functionality () - so they could have done it in the correct way. 
However, as far as we do not see the code we do not know if they 
integrate GPL'ed JUMP functionality.


Mars wrote:
> 
> Thank you for everyone's reply,
> 
> Here is what I have deduced from the following:
> 
>> On 15-Aug-08, at 4:40 AM, Jukka Rahkonen wrote:
> 
>> True, Vivid is in a different position because they have the copyright.
> 
>> -Jukka-
> 
> 
> So JUMP is under proprietary Copy Right License, and so the esf-
> (plugin) also.
> 
> If I am found using the version of JUMP and the esf-(plugin) in
> EziLink I am under the the Later EziLink Copy Right License.
> 
> So the objects found in JUMP and the ESF-(plugins) both under seperate
> GPLv2 are therefore liable under the EziLink Copy Right License?
> 
>> I have to disagree .. as vivid solution own the copyright on jump they
>> can _also_ sell it closed or reuse it in closed software ...
>> this is completely independent of any open source distribution as well ..
> 
> 
> So ownership of the "GPLv2" nullifies its effective use for others, if
> the owner decides to distribute closed software?
> 
> I sort of understand that, thus if I am found using or modifying the
> following objects which are found in EziLink:
> 
> 1.5.1.jar
> activation-01_00_02.jar
> avalon-framework.jar
> axis-01_02_01.jar
> batik.jar
> commons-discovery.jar
> commons-logging-01_00_02.jar
> esfws-client-api-02_02_00.jar
> fop.jar
> igds-1.1.1.jar
> jai_codec.jar
> jai_core.jar
> jakarta-regexp-1.2.jar
> jaxrpc.jar
> jce-jdk12-114.jar
> jcs-1.1.0-alpha-8.jar
> jpe90_sdk.jar
> jsde90_sdk.jar
> l2fprod-common-buttonbar.jar
> l2fprod-common-directorychooser.jar
> licensemanager.jar
> log4j-01_01_03.jar
> mail-01_03_03.jar
> saaj.jar
> spatialUtil-00_00_01.jar
> splash-1.0.0.jar
> vixb-01_01_01.jar
> wsdl4j.jar
> xalan-02_05_01.jar
> 
> And are found in the ESF-(plugin) under GPLv2:
> 
> activation-01_00_01.jar
> axis.jar
> commons-discovery.jar
> commons-logging-01_00_02.jar
> dom.jar
> esfws-client-api-01_00_02.jar
> esfws-plugin-01_00_02.jar
> jax-qname.jar
> jaxb-api.jar
> jaxb-impl.jar
> jaxb-libs.jar
> jaxp-api.jar
> jaxrpc.jar
> log4j-01_01_03.jar
> namespace.jar
> relaxngDatatype.jar
> saaj.jar
> sax.jar
> velocity-1.3.1-rc2.jar
> velocity-dep-1.3.1-rc2.jar
> vivid-commons-ui.jar
> wsdl4j.jar
> xalan.jar
> xercesImpl.jar
> xsdlib.jar
> 
> I would be liable under the EziLink Copy Right License regardless of
> GPLv2 as it is Vivid Solutions Inc. right.
> 
> Also, If I were to use objects of JUMP that fall under the EziLink
> Copy Right License such as:
> 
> Jama-1.0.1.jar
> jdom.jar
> jts-01_07_02.jar
> jump-core-1.2.0.jar
> jump-workbench-1.2.0.jar
> junit.jar
> xercesImpl.jar
> xml-apis.jar
> 
> I would be liable under the EziLink Copy Right License regardless of
> modifications I or others have made.
> 
> No wonder GeoConnections Canada changed direction from JUMP to uDig!
> This sounds like a nightmare!
> 
> Sounds like I am going to have to start completely from scratch to
> produce an esf-(plugin) and since I would be in competition with Vivid
> Solutions Inc. I better make sure no objects/code resembles that
> within EziLink for fear of EziLink copyright infringement regardless
> of GPL.
>