[opensuse-packaging] GPL v3 question
Hi, I've come across my first license problem with ghostscript-8.70, it has switched to GPL v3. There are a lot of packages that depend on ghostscript, lilypond being one and apparently TeXLive sub packages. How are problems like this resolved. Having an old ghostscript version isn't good for attracting people to the distro. I'm totally in the dark about these things but as a packager I need to know about them. Regards Dave P -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+help@opensuse.org
On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 02:20:13PM +0200, Dave Plater wrote:
Hi, I've come across my first license problem with ghostscript-8.70, it has switched to GPL v3. There are a lot of packages that depend on ghostscript, lilypond being one and apparently TeXLive sub packages. How are problems like this resolved. Having an old ghostscript version isn't good for attracting people to the distro. I'm totally in the dark about these things but as a packager I need to know about them.
As long as the program calls "gs" via system it is just use and does not impose license requirements the calling programs. Most of those programs do it that way. I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries? Ciao, Marcus -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+help@opensuse.org
On 15/01/10 09:26, Marcus Meissner wrote:
I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries?
Yes, it does -lgs and -lijs, package ghostscript-library -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+help@opensuse.org
On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 02:20:13PM +0200, Dave Plater wrote:
Hi, I've come across my first license problem with ghostscript-8.70, it has switched to GPL v3. There are a lot of packages that depend on ghostscript, lilypond being one and apparently TeXLive sub packages. How are problems like this resolved. Having an old ghostscript version isn't good for attracting people to the distro. I'm totally in the dark about these things but as a packager I need to know about them.
As long as the program calls "gs" via system it is just use and does not impose license requirements the calling programs. Most of those programs do it that way. I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries?
I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries?
Yes, it does -lgs and -lijs, package ghostscript-library The above is added for the factory list This post follows :- I have a complete gs-8.70 package waiting to be submitted but what happens in a case like this? Is ghostscript doomed to packman or even worse out of linux altogether or is there a way of sorting this issue out. Fedora already has gs-8.70, maybe they overlooked the fact that the license had changed. It would take a few linux distros to make the ghostscript people change back to v2. List of affected files, I can find :- Uses gs_lib : capi4hylafax, hylafax Uses pstoraster : gutenprint Uses libgs.so : foomatic-filters, libspectre1 Uses libijs.so: gutenprint Regards Dave P -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+help@opensuse.org
On Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 03:33:28PM +0200, Dave Plater wrote:
On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 02:20:13PM +0200, Dave Plater wrote:
Hi, I've come across my first license problem with ghostscript-8.70, it has switched to GPL v3. There are a lot of packages that depend on ghostscript, lilypond being one and apparently TeXLive sub packages. How are problems like this resolved. Having an old ghostscript version isn't good for attracting people to the distro. I'm totally in the dark about these things but as a packager I need to know about them.
As long as the program calls "gs" via system it is just use and does not impose license requirements the calling programs.
Most of those programs do it that way.
I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries?
I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries?
Yes, it does -lgs and -lijs, package ghostscript-library
The above is added for the factory list
This post follows :-
I have a complete gs-8.70 package waiting to be submitted but what happens in a case like this? Is ghostscript doomed to packman or even worse out of linux altogether or is there a way of sorting this issue out. Fedora already has gs-8.70, maybe they overlooked the fact that the license had changed. It would take a few linux distros to make the ghostscript people change back to v2. List of affected files, I can find :- Uses gs_lib : capi4hylafax, hylafax
Those will just call the binary, so it is "use".
Uses pstoraster : gutenprint
same.
Uses libgs.so : foomatic-filters, libspectre1 Uses libijs.so: gutenprint
foomatic-filters is GPLv2 or later (so I think it can use GPLv3 libraries). libspectre same. gutenprint same. I will try to find a verbal statement from our license guys next week, but to my not so trained eyes it looks fine to do. Ciao, Marcus -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+help@opensuse.org
On 01/15/2010 02:26 PM, Marcus Meissner wrote:
On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 02:20:13PM +0200, Dave Plater wrote:
Hi, I've come across my first license problem with ghostscript-8.70, it has switched to GPL v3. There are a lot of packages that depend on ghostscript, lilypond being one and apparently TeXLive sub packages. How are problems like this resolved. Having an old ghostscript version isn't good for attracting people to the distro. I'm totally in the dark about these things but as a packager I need to know about them.
As long as the program calls "gs" via system it is just use and does not impose license requirements the calling programs.
Most of those programs do it that way.
I am not aware that ghostscript exposes libraries?
Ciao, Marcus
This was passed on in bnc# 568280 by the ghostscript maintainer, I'm just finishing an updated ghostscript-library and it came as a bit of a shock, not knowing anything about it. Fedora have gs-8.70 and I should imagine they would conform in much the same way as openSUSE. Dr Werner Fink specifically mentioned TeXLive sub packages. Regards Dave P -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-packaging+help@opensuse.org
participants (3)
-
Cristian Rodríguez -
Dave Plater -
Marcus Meissner