Response to comments on Intel's proposed BSD+Patent license

Forrest J. Cavalier III mibsoft at mibsoftware.com
Thu Nov 1 13:21:45 UTC 2001


> Finally, under the proposed license, you can use the software in Solaris or
> any other proprietary OS or in any other piece of software (in addition to
> the GPL based OS's).  You just don't have a patent license; so you are no
> worse off than with the BSD license.
> 

Yes, that point was made already.  But why is it important for
Intel to provide a patent grant from within the copyright license?
They could be separate documents.

It seems that your position is that the OSI board should approve
the license based on the copyright license terms alone, and they
should ignore the patent terms.  Many posters have indicated
the patent license terms should also meet the spirit of the OSD.
Do you agree?

Your main point seems to be that the patent terms are "better
than nothing."  But the bar for OSI approval is higher than that.
There are "better than nothing" copyright licenses out there.
(Including the "No commercial use" licenses.)  They are not OSI
certified.


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