[License-review] Approval: Server Side Public License, Version 1 (SSPL v1)

[Kyle Mitchell]

On 2018-11-08 17:11, John Cowan wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 8, 2018 at 2:27 PM Kyle Mitchell <kyle at kemitchell.com> wrote:
> > If I build a dental records management application
> > with a GPLv2 file format parser, wouldn't my application be
> > "other software"?  But that can't be right.  We must be
> > making a mistake elsewhere.
>
> My understanding is that that is *exactly* right.  Put a
> GPL component into your application, you need to GPL
> your application or refrain from distributing it.

Sorry if I wasn't clear.  I'm arguing via proof by
contradiction.

I think we agree:

    1.  GPLv2 is open source.

    2.  GPLv2 for the file format parser library in my
        example restricts license terms for the dental
        records management app.

    3.  The dental records management app in my example is
        "other software".

As I understand Matija and McCoy:

    4.  OSD 9 means: IF a license restricts license terms
        for other software THEN that license is not open
        source.

By implication:

    5.  GPLv2 restricts license terms for "other software".
        [See 2 and 3.]

    5.  GPL is not open source. [See 4 and 5.]

        Contradiction! [See 1.]

    6.  OSD does not mean: IF a license restricts license
        terms for other software THEN that license is not
        open source. [Reject 4.]

In other words, we can't read OSD 9 as broadly as "must not
restrict other software", full stop, and also read "other
software" in the natural way, to include larger programs
incorporating copyleft libraries, because that would exclude
GPLv2.

-- 
Kyle Mitchell, attorney // Oakland // (510) 712 - 0933