[postgis-devel] PostGIS jdbc license

[Markus Schaber]

[X-Post to postgis-users and postgis-devel, but follow-up to
postgis-devel, as I think that's the better place for this discussion.]

Hi,

As the PostGIS jdbc driver extension classes don't have any explicit
licensing statements, I assume that they are GPL as the rest of PostGIS
is.

As the PostgreSQL jdbc driver itsself has a BSDish license, it is
possible to use it in non-GPL applications.

My suggestion is to re-license the PostGIS jdbc code under LGPL. This
would keep most benefits of the GPL, but allow for broader usage. It
would also fit the library character of the code. Those classes are
meant to be included in third party apps, as opposed to the main PostGIS
code that is to be used server-side (where the main knowledge is). Other
projects, e. G. JTS, which includes similar and broader functionality,
also use LGPL.

I ask this question now because we have some small patches for this code
in the queue that will be submitted. When the PostGIS jdbc developers
agree to re-license under LGPL, then our submissions will be under LGPL,
too. When the discussion ends in staying with plain GPL, our submission
will be GPL.

When you stay at GPL, we will have to reimplement some of the
functionality for one of our projects, and this might reduce future
contributions from us.

Note that we would not want you to change to a BSDish license as we
prefer copylefted licenses like the LGPL. Also, we do not want to urge
you in any way, we just would like to know what you think about it, so
we can decide the way for us to go.

I'm currently doing some polishing on the patches, and will send them
here soon, so you can have a look at them.

Thanks for your efforts,
Markus Schaber

-- 
markus schaber | dipl. informatiker
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