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Re: License conflicts in Cygwin


On Feb 24 10:55, Denk, Uwe wrote:
> Hello,
>  
> we would like to use Cygwin. After checking the license conditions we
> found two license conflicts in Cygwin, which is GPL v2 licensed in
> accordance with the COPYING files of Cygwin:

First of all, you're referring to an old version of Cygwin.  Right
now we're at 1.7.7 with 1.7.8 right around the bend.  This has
an effect on the license, too, since the BSD advertising clauses
have gone way.

> 1) GPL v2 - GPL v3 incompatibility: (see http://gplv3.fsf.org/wiki/index.php/Compatible_licenses#GPLv3-incompatible_licenses)

> The following files are GPL v3 licensed:
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\dwarf2.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\lto-symtab.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\config\warnings.m4
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\opcode\score-datadep.h 
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\opcode\score-inst.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\Makefile.def 
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\Makefile.in
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\configure.ac
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\binary-io.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\config\lead-dot.m4
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\Makefile.tpl
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-rx.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-sh.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-d10v.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-ppc.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\signals.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\remote-sim.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-h8300.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-m32c.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-arm.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\fileio.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-frv.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-lm32.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\callback.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\gdb\sim-cr16.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\elf\rx.h 
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\opcode\moxie.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\opcode\moxie.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\elf\lm32.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\elf\mn10300.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\bfdlink.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\plugin-api.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\elf\score.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\elf\vxworks.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\include\coff\z80.h
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\config.guess

None of these files is under control of the Cygwin project, most of them
are not even used at all when building Cygwin.

These files are all part of the underlying build system which has
evolved from the original Cygnus build tree over time.   Since they are
subsumed under "common files", they are all included in the Cygwin
source archive, even when unused.  The part controlled by the Cygwin
project is only the stuff below the winsup directory.  All the files
under the winsup subtree are Cygwin licensed, BSD, or Public Domain.

There's no license collision with the GPLv3 files from the build system
since Cygwin isn't just licensed GPLv2.  Rather, Cygwin is licensed
under the Cygwin license, which is GPLv2 plus an exception which allows
interaction with other OSS licenses.

Disclaimer: IANAL.  I can't speak for our legal dept, of course.  There
won't be any changes in the Cygwin license any time soon as far as I'm
aware.  If your lawyers feel that they have more questions about this,
the best course of action might be to contact Red Hat and discuss this
problem with our legal dept.

> 2) GPL v2 - BSD with Advertising Clause incompatibility: (see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html section Original BSD License)
>  
> The following files are BSD (with Advertising Clause) licensed
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\winsup\cygserver\sysv_shm.cc
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\winsup\testsuite\winsup.api\shmtest.c
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\winsup\testsuite\winsup.api\semtest.c
> \cygwin-1.7.1-1\winsup\testsuite\winsup.api\msgtest.c

These have been fixed a couple of months ago.


Corinna

-- 
Corinna Vinschen                  Please, send mails regarding Cygwin to
Cygwin Project Co-Leader          cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
Red Hat

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