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

John Dallaway john at dallaway.org.uk
Sun Aug 31 16:07:54 UTC 2014


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



More information about the License-review mailing list