XFree86 Alters License

kinema writes "According to the XFree86 announcement starting with XFree86 v4.4.0-RC3 there will be a new license. There are some worries that these changes might be incompatible with the GPL." The FSF has a good page about the problems with BSD-style advertising clauses, which ironically uses XFree86's old license as an example of one to emulate.

Re:Not advertising....

[happyfrogcow]

f the XFree86 folks want to shoot themselves to foot and slowly bleed to death, it's their choice

wouldn't an X client have to request to the X server to be shot in the foot, wait a while for a gun to be rendered on the local display then be shot in the foot?

Couldn't someone have mentioned that ...

[burgburgburg]

"some worries" would require a trip here [google.com] to read it in (semi-)English?

Wird XFree86 GPL inkompatibel?

[Galaga88]

A GPL inkompatibel XMoose86 once bit my sister... No realli!...Mynd you, XMoose86 bites Kan be pretty nasti...

I love the translation of the first comment:

[burgburgburg]

With this whole license disorder I can vibrate only with the head.

If I had a quarter for every time I said that, I'd ...I'd ...I wouldn't have any quarters. And I still have laundry to do.

Proprietary License?

[0utlaw]

If they go with a more proprietary license, they should probably also change their name to Ex-Free86. :P

Re:Not a BSD-style clause.

[Waffle Iron]

The end-user documentation included with the redistribution, if any, must include the following acknowledgment:

Whhheww... All of my projects are already compliant!

Nice link.

[Anonymous Coward]

Nice link there. All in German. Thanks.

Seen on the mailing list

[pavon]

Contributors: You said the code would be left in the CVS under our supervision!
XFree86: We are altering the license. Pray we don't alter it any further.

Re:Why shouldn't it be?

[geoffspear]

I think that in order to get copyright protection for software you should submit the code to some system that automatically checks for infringement... and compares the licenses to make sure the use is OK.

I propose that this system be run by SCO.

Re:eh

[moranar]

Isn't this simply a case of giving credit where credit is due. If you build a project that includes the blood, sweat, and tears of other people, shouldn't they be credited.

Shouldn't you use question marks after interrogative sentences. Or are they not used anymore.

Re:eh

[Anonymous Coward]

He's just respecting my copyright on the "?" symbol.

Re:eh

[nomadic]

If you build a project that includes the blood, sweat, and tears of other people, shouldn't they be credited.

If your open source project manager requires you to bleed, sweat, and cry, then you might want to consider forking...