AW: AW: AW: For Approval: German Free Software License

[Lasse Reichstein Nielsen]

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 09:05:36 +0100, Axel Metzger  
<metzger at mpipriv-hh.mpg.de> wrote:

> I see that some members of the list, especially Bernhard and Russell,  
> have a problem with the new license versions-clause. When I read on the  
> OSI website the following...
>
> 	"If license-discuss mailing list members find that the license does
> not conform to the Open Source Definition, they will work with you to
> resolve the problems."
>
> ... I had the expectation that we could work together on some kind of
> compromise.

Bernhard and Russel, and others, see that clause as incompatible with
an OSI license. I am sure we are quite willing to help *resolve* the  
problem,
e.g., suggest that the clause is removed or have its meaning changed.

A compromise would entail the OSI accepting something not entirely  
compatible
with their requirements. As a certification authority, where the only value
they have is their name, that would be suicidal.

> I was wrong to that point. It seems to me that Bernhard and
> Russell do not want to have any sort of compromise. For them it's a  
> question of right or wrong. I have to accept this. It's their decision.

It's not a question about right or wrong, but about compatible or not
compatible. With that, there can be no compromise. If the license is
not compatible with the OSI requirements, then it won't be certified.
As a lot of people read it, it is not compatible in its current version.


> I have also read positive comments on the list. Thanks for them too.

There are good ideas, and I heartily recommend that you carry on the
good work, remembering what probably has to be changed in order to
get an OSI certification for the license.

/L
-- 
Lasse R. Nielsen - atwork at infimum.dk
  'Faith without judgement merely degrades the spirit divine'