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license of reference implementations

This page is part of the web mail archives of SRFI 13 from before July 7th, 2015. The new archives for SRFI 13 contain all messages, not just those from before July 7th, 2015.



The srfi-13 and srfi-14 reference implementations are claimed to have
'a "free software" copyright',  I don't dispute that.  However, I
wonder whether the MIT license is compatible with the GPL:

Are the following clauses permissible for GPL'd code?

;;; 2. Users of this software agree to make their best efforts (a) to
;;; return to the MIT Scheme project any improvements or extensions that
;;; they make, so that these may be included in future releases; and (b)
;;; to inform MIT of noteworthy uses of this software.
;;; 
;;; 3. All materials developed as a consequence of the use of this
;;; software shall duly acknowledge such use, in accordance with the usual
;;; standards of acknowledging credit in academic research.

If not, it would seem to be illegal to use this code in a GPL'd program.

The GNU license list (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/license-list.html)
does not discuss this license.  But, as examples, both version 1.0 and 1.1
of the Apcahe license are considered incompatible with the GPL.

Of course whether the reference implementations license is
incompatible with the GPL does not preclude finalizing these SRFIs.
However, it does complicate the job of implementors. at least anybody
whose is concientious (anal) about licenses.
-- 
	--Per Bothner
per@xxxxxxxxxxx   http://www.bothner.com/~per/