[License-review] For Legacy Approval: eCos License version 2.0

[John Dallaway]

On Sun Aug 31 12:32:14 UTC 2014, Richard Fontana wrote:

> On Fri, Aug 29, 2014 at 08:13:28AM +0100, John Dallaway wrote:
> 
>> The eCos License version 2.0 has been in widespread use since May 2002
>> as the license of the eCos real-time operating system. It is based on
>> the GNU General Public License version 2 and incorporates an exception
>> clause which limits the circumstances in which the license applies to
>> other code when used in conjunction with eCos-licensed code.
>> 
>> The eCos License version 2.0 is officially recognised as a
>> GPL-compatible free software license by the Free Software Foundation.
>> 
>> On behalf of the eCos maintainers I am hereby submitting the eCos
>> License version 2.0 to be considered for Legacy Approval as an Open
>> Source License. The eCos maintainers recognize the significance of OSI
>> approval in the selection of open source software by technology decision
>> makers.
> 
> I assume that the last sentence there is the main reason for your
> seeking OSI approval for the license. But in that case, why not simply
> stop referring to 'the eCos License 2.0' as though it were a special
> license and instead characterize eCos as being licensed as 'GPLv2 or
> later' with a permissive exception? I've encountered other projects
> using similarly-worded GPL exceptions but to my recollection those
> projects characterize themselves as being GPL-licensed.

The precise wording of an exception clause can be highly significant
and, of course, it is the precise wording which matters to technology
decision makers. I would argue that describing eCos as "GPL-licensed" or
"GPL with permissive exception" would be either incorrect or
vague/misleading.

OSI-approval of the eCos License 2.0 would also enable participation in
open source funding programmes which require code to be released under
an OSI-approved license.

> Thanks for pointing to the wxWindows license -- however the OSI's
> approval of that license seems to be from the late 2002 timeframe,
> before the rise of concerns about license proliferation and 'vanity
> licenses' and such.

I appreciate OSI concerns regarding license proliferation. This is why
the eCos maintainers are seeking legacy approval. The eCos License 2.0
appears to fit this approval category well.

Regards

John Dallaway